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THE  UNIVERSITY 


OF  ILLINOIS 


LIBRARY 


From  the  collection  of 
Julius  Doerner,  Chicago 
Purchased,  1918. 


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VNIVERSAL  CLASSICS 

LIBRARY 


ILLUSTRATED 
WTH  PHOTOCRAWRES  ON 
JAPAN  VELLVn,  ETCHINGS 
HAND  PAINTED  INDIA-PLATE 
REPRODUCTIONS,  AND 
,  FULL  PAGE  PORTRAITS 
^  OFAVTHORS.  /A, 

Sk  ★  ,JKk 


M. WALTER  DUNNE, PUBLISHER 


/?TL- 


WASHINGTON  b~  LONDON 


Copyright,  1901, 

BY 

M.  WALTER  DUNNE, 

PUBLISHER 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 


JEWS  OF  JERUSALEM 

Photogravure  from  life 


TRANSLATIONS  FROM 


THE  TALMUD 

V. 

MIDRASHIM  and 
KABBALA 


WITH  SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION 


MAURICE  H.  HARRIS,  D.D 


M.WALTER  DUNNE, PUBLISHER 
WASHINGTON  &  LONDON 


ixxxxxLUi^mx3ar^jmjaxjucjgx.x.uxiixm 


HEBRAIC  LITERATURE 


( 


Copyright,  1901, 

BY 

M.  WALTER  DUNNE 

PUBLISHER 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Jews  of  Jerusalem . . Frontispiece 

Photogravure  from  life 

Amnon  and  Tamar . .  234 

Photogravure  after  the  painting  by  A.  Cabanel 

Solomon  and  the  Queen  of  Sheba .  330 

Photogravure  after  the  painting  by  Schopin 


(vii) 


I 


SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION 


mong  the  absurd  notions  as  to  what  the  Talmud  was, 


given  credence  in  the  Middle  Ages,  one  was  that  it 


was  a  man !  The  mediaeval  priest  or  peasant  was 
perhaps  wiser  than  he  knew.  Almost,  might  we  say,  the 
Talmud  was  Man,  for  it  is  a  record  of  the  doings,  the  be¬ 
liefs,  the  usages,  the  hopes,  the  sufferings,  the  patience, 
the  humor,  the  mentality,  and  the  morality  of  the  Jewish 
people  for  half  a  millennium. 

What  is  the  Talmud  ?  There  is  more  than  one  answer. 
Ostensibly  it  is  the  corpus  juris  of  the  Jews  from  about  the 
first  century  before  the  Christian  era  to  about  the  fourth 
after  it.  But  we  shall  see  as  we  proceed  that  the  Talmud 
wras  much  more  than  this.  The  very  word  <(  Law )J  in  He¬ 
brew  — Torah }>  —  means  more  than  its  translation  would 
imply.  The  Jew  interpreted  his  whole  religion  in  terms  of 
law.  It  is  his  name,  in  fact,  for  the  Bible’s  first  five  books  — 
the  Pentateuch.  To  explain  what  the  Talmud  is  we  must 
first  explain  the  theory  of  its  growth,  more  remarkable 
perhaps  than  the  work  itself.  What  was  that  theory? 
The  Divine  Law  was  revealed  to  Moses,  not  only  through 
the  Commands  that  were  found  written  in  the  Bible,  but 
also  through  all  the  later  rules  and  regulations  of  post- 
exilic  days.  These  additional  laws  it  was  presumed  were 
handed  down  orally  from  Moses  to  Joshua,  thence  to  the 
Prophets,  and  later  still  transmitted  to  the  Scribes,  and 
eventually  to  the  Rabbis.  The  reason  why  the  Rabbis  as- 
scribed  to  Moses  the  laws  that  they  later  evolved,  was  due 
to  their  intense  reverence  for  Scripture,  and  their  modest 


(ix) 


X 


THE  TALMUD 


sense  of  their  own  authority  and  qualification.  (<  If  the 
men  of  old  were  giants  then  we  are  pigmies, said  they. 
They  felt  and  believed  that  all  duty  for  the  guidance  of 
man  was  found  in  the  Bible  either  directly  or  inferentially. 
Their  motto  was  then,  (<  Search  the  Scriptures,  ®  and  they 
did  search  them  with  a  literalness  and  a  painstaking  thor¬ 
oughness  never  since  repeated.  Not  a  word,  not  a  letter 
escaped  them.  Every  redundancy  of  expression  was 
freighted  with  meaning,  every  repetition  was  made  to  give 
birth  to  new  truth.  Some  of  the  inferences  were  logical 
and  natural,  some  artificial  and  far-fetched,  but  all  ingen¬ 
ious.  Sometimes  the  method  was  inductive  and  sometimes 
deductive.  That  is,  occasionally  a  needed  law  was  pro¬ 
mulgated  by  the  Jewish  Sanhedrin,  and  then  its  authority 
sought  in  the  Scripture,  or  the  Scripture  would  be  sought 
in  the  first  instance  to  reveal  new  law. 

So  while  the  Jewish  code,  religious  and  civil,  continued 
to  grow  during  the  era  of  the  Restoration  of  the  second 
Temple,  to  meet  the  more  complex  conditions  of  later  times, 
still  the  theory  was  maintained  that  all  was  evolved  from 
original  Scripture  and  always  transmitted,  either  written  or 
oral,  from  Moses  from  Mount  Sinai.  It  was  not,  however, 
till  the  year  219  after  the  Christian  era  that  a  compiled 
summary  of  the  so-called  oral  law  was  made  —  perhaps  com¬ 
piled  from  earlier  summaries  —  by  Rabbi  Jehudah  Hanassi 
(the  Prince),  and  the  added  work  was  called  the  Mishnah 
or  Second  Law.  Mark  the  date.  We  have  passed  the  pe¬ 
riod  of  the  fall  of  Judea’s  nationality.  And  it  was  these 
very  academies  in  which  the  Jewish  tradition  —  the  Jewish 
Law  was  studied,  that  kept  alive  the  Jewish  people  as  a 
religious  community  after  they  had  ceased  to  be  a  nation. 
This  Mishnah,  divided  into  six  sedarim  or  chapters,  and 
subdivided  into  thirty-six  treatises,  became  now  in  the  acad¬ 
emies  of  Palestine,  and  later  in  Babylonia,  the  text  of  fur¬ 
ther  legal  elaboration,  with  the  theory  of  deduction  from 
Scripture  still  maintained. 

Although  the  life  of  denationalized  Israel  was  much  nar¬ 
rower  and  more  circumscribed,  with  fewer  outlets  to  their 
capacities,  nevertheless  the  new  laws  deduced  from  the 
Mishnah  code  in  the  academies  grew  far  larger  than  the 


SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION 


xi 


original  source,  while  the  discussions  which  grew  around 
each  Halacha,  as  the  final  decision  was  termed,  and  which 
was  usually  transmitted  with  the  decision,  grew  so  volumi¬ 
nous  that  it  became  gradually  impossible  to  retain  the  complex 
tradition  in  the  memory  —  remarkable  as  the  Oriental  mem¬ 
ory  was  and  is.  That  fact,  added  to  the  growing  persecu¬ 
tions  from  Israel’s  over-lords,  and  the  consequent  precarious 
fate  of  these  precious  traditions,  made  it  necessary  to  write 
them  down  in  spite  of  the  prejudice  against  committing  the 
oral  law  to  writing  at  all.  This  wrork  was  undertaken  by 
Rav  Asche  and  his  disciples,  and  was  completed  before  the 
year  500.  The  Mishnah,  together  with  the  laws  that  later 
grew  out  of  it,  called  also  Gamara,  or  Commentary,  from 
the  Talmud.  While  the  Palestinian  school  evolved  a  Ga¬ 
mara  from  the  Mishnah  which  is  called  the  <(  Palestinian 
Talmud, J>  it  was  the  tradition  of  the  Babylonian  academies, 
far  vaster  because  they  continued  for  so  many  more  cen¬ 
turies,  that  is  the  Talmud  per  se ,  that  great  work  of  2,947 
folio  leaves.  Were  we  to  continue  the  tradition  further, 
we  might  show  how  often  this  vast  legal  compilation  was 
the  subject  of  further  commentary,  discussion  and  deduc¬ 
tion  by  yet  later  scholars.  But  that  takes  us  beyond  our 
theme  and  is  another  story. 

In  forming  an  estimate  of  these  laws,  we  must  first  re¬ 
member  that  they  belonged  to  the  days  when  religion  and 
state  were  one.  So  we  shall  find  priestly  laws  mixed  up 
with  police  laws,  sanitary  regulations  side  by  side  with  regula¬ 
tions  of  sanctity,  the  injunctions  teaching  political  economy 
and  morality  almost  in  the  same  line.  It  should  rather 
then  be  compared  to  codes  of  law  than  to  religions  scrip¬ 
tures,  though  often  there  the  comparison  would  be  incom¬ 
plete,  since  the  religious  atmosphere  pervaded  even  the 
most  secular  circumstance  of  the  life  of  the  Jew.  There 
was  no  secular.  The  meanest  function  in  life  must  be 
brought  in  relation  to  the  great  Divine.  This  must  be  un¬ 
derstood  in  studying  the  Talmud,  this  must  be  understood 
in  studying  the  Jew.  As  law,  it  compares  favorably  with 
the  Roman  code  —  its  contemporary  in  part.  In  the  treat¬ 
ment  of  a  criminal  it  is  almost  quixotically  humane.  It 
abhors  the  shedding  of  blood,  and  no  man  can  be  put  to 


Xll 


THE  TALMUD 


death  on  circumstantial  evidence.  Many  of  its  injunctions 
are  intensely  minute  and  hair-splitting  to  the  extreme  of 
casuistry.  Yet  these  elements  are  familiar  in  the  interpre¬ 
tation  of  law,  not  only  in  the  olden  time,  but  in  some 
measure  even  to-day.  There  are  instances  where  Talmudic 
law  is  tenderer  than  the  Biblical ;  for  example,  the  lex  tali- 
o?iis  is  softened  into  an  equivalent. 

Yet  the  legal  does  not  form  the  whole  of  the  Talmud, 
nor  perhaps  the  part  that  would  most  interest  the  casual 
reader  or  the  -world  at  large.  It  is  the  dry,  prosaic  half. 
There  is  a  poetic  half,  let  us  say  a  homiletic  half,  what  we 
call  Agada,  as  distinct  from  the  legal  portion  called  Halacha. 
The  term  Agada,  <(  narrative, ”  is  wofully  insufficient  to  de¬ 
scribe  the  diverse  material  that  falls  under  this  head,  for  it 
comprehends  all  the  discursive  elements  that  come  up  in 
the  legal  discussions  in  the  old  Babylonian  and  Palestinian 
academies.  These  elements  are  occasionally  biographical, — 
fragments  of  the  lives  of  the  great  scholars,  occasionally 
historical,  — little  bits  of  Israel’s  long  tragedy,  occasionally 
didactic,  —  facts,  morals,  life  lessons  taught  by  the  way; 
occasionally  anecdotic,  stories  told  to  relieve  the  monotony 
of  discussion ;  not  infrequently  fanciful ;  bits  of  philosophy, 
old  folk-lore,  weird  imaginings,  quaint  beliefs,  superstitions 
and  humor.  They  are  presented  haphazard,  most  irrele¬ 
vantly  introduced  in  between  the  complex  discussions, 
breaking  the  thread  that  however  is  never  lost,  but  always 
taken  up  again. 

From  this  point  of  view  the  Talmud  is  a  great  maze  and 
apparently  the  simplest  roads  lead  off  into  strange,  winding 
by-paths.  It  is  hard  to  deduce  any  distinct  system  of 
ethics,  any  consistent  philosophy,  any  coherent  doctrine. 
Yet  patience  rewards  the  student  here  too,  and  from  this 
confused  medley  of  material,  he  can  build  the  intellectual 
world  of  the  early  mediaeval  Jew.  In  the  realm  of  doctrine 
we  find  that  (<  original  sin,”  (<  vicarious  atonement,”  and 
(<  everlasting  punishment,”  are  denied.  Man  is  made  the 
author  of  his  own  salvation.  Life  beyond  the  grave  is  still 
progressive ;  the  soul  is  pre-existent. 

A  suggestion  of  the  wit  and  wisdom  of  the  Talmud  may 
be  gathered  from  the  following  quotations :  — 


SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION 


xiii 


A  single  light  answers  as  well  for  a  hundred  men  as  for  one. 

The  ass  complains  of  cold  even  in  July. 

A  myrtle  in  the  desert  remains  a  myrtle. 

Teach  thy  tongue  to  say,  <(I  do  not  know.** 

Hospitality  is  an  expression  of  Divine  worship. 

Thy  friend  has  a  friend,  and  thy  friend’s  friend  has  a  friend ;  be 
discreet. 

Attend  no  auctions  if  thou  hast  no  money. 

Rather  flay  a  carcass,  than  be  idly  dependent  on  charity. 

The  place  honors  not  the  man,  ’tis  the  man  who  gives  honor  to 
the  place. 

Drain  not  the  waters  of  thy  well  while  other  people  may  desire 
them. 

The  rose  grows  among  thorns. 

Two  pieces  of  coin  in  one  bag  make  more  noise  than  a  hundred. 

The  rivalry  of  scholars  advances  science. 

Truth  is  heavy,  therefore  few  care  to  carry  it. 

He  who  is  loved  by  man  is  loved  by  God. 

Use  thy  noble  vase  to-day  ;  to-morrow  it  may  break. 

The  soldiers  fight  and  the  kings  are  heroes. 

Commit  a  sin  twice,  it  will  seem  a  sin  no  longer. 

The  world  is  saved  by  the  breath  of  the  school  children. 

A  miser  is  as  wicked  as  an  idolater. 

Do  not  make  woman  weep,  for  God  counts  her  tears. 

The  best  preacher  is  the  heart ;  the  best  teacher  time ;  the  best 
book  the  world  ;  the  best  friend  God. 

The  philosophy  in  the  Talmud,  rather  than  the  philos¬ 
ophy  of  it,  has  been  made  the  subject  of  separate  treatment 
just  as  the  whole  of  the  Agada  has  been  drawn  out  of  the 
Talmud  and  published  as  a  separate  work. 

What  is  the  Talmud  to  the  Jew  to-day?  It  is  literature 
rather  than  law.  He  no  longer  goes  to  the  voluminous 
Talmud  to  find  specific  injunction  for  specific  need.  Search 
in  that  vast  sea  would  be  tedious  and  unfruitful.  Its  legal 
portion  has  long  been  codified  in  .separate  digests.  Mai- 
monides  was  the  first  to  classify  Talmudic  law.  Still  later 
one  Ascheri  prepared  a  digest  called  the  <(  Four  Rows,” 
in  which  the  decisions  of  later  Rabbis  were  incorporated. 


XIV 


THE  TALMUD 


But  it  was  the  famous  Shulchan  Aruch  (a  prepared  table) 
written  by  Joseph  Caro  in  the  sixteenth  century,  that 
formed  the  most  complete  code  of  Talmudic  law  enlarged  to 
date,  and  accepted  as  religious  authority  by  the  orthodox 
Jews  to-day. 

I  have  already  referred  to  the  literature  that  has  grown 
out  of  the  Talmud.  The  <(  Jewish  Encyclopedia w  treats 
every  law  recognized  by  nations  from  the  Talmudic  stand¬ 
point.  This  will  give  the  world  a  complete  Talmudic  point 
of  view.  In  speaking  of  it  as  literature,  it  lacks  perhaps 
that  beauty  of  form  in  its  language  which  the  stricter  de¬ 
mand  as  literature  sine  qua  non ,  and  yet  its  language  is 
unique.  It  is  something  more  than  terse,  for  many  a  word 
is  a  whole  sentence.  Written  in  Aramaic,  it  contains  many 
words  in  the  languages  of  the  nations  with  whom  Israel 
came  in  contact — Greek,  Roman,  Persian,  and  words  from 
other  tongues. 

Rike  the  Jew,  the  Talmud  has  had  a  history,  almost  as  check¬ 
ered  as  that  of  its  creator.  Like  him  it  was  singled  out  for 
persecution.  Louis  IX.  burned  twenty-four  cart-loads  of 
Talmuds  in  Paris.  Its  right  of  survival  had  often  been 
wrested  through  church  synods  and  councils.  It  has  been 
banned,  it  has  been  excommunicated,  it  has  been  made  the 
subject  of  popish  bulls ;  but  it  was  in  the  sixteenth  cen¬ 
tury  that  the  Benedictine  Monks  made  a  particular  de¬ 
termined  effort  to  destroy  it.  Fortunately  they  knew  not 
the  times.  It  was  the  age  of  Humanism,  the  forerunner  of 
the  Reformation,  and  the  Talmud  found  its  ablest  defender 
in  the  great  Christian  humanist,  John  Reuchlin.  He  was 
the  one  first  to  tell  his  co-religionists,  <(  Do  not  condemn  the 
Talmud  before  you  understand  it.  Burning  is  no  argu¬ 
ment.  Instead  of  burning  all  Jewish  literature,  it  were  bet¬ 
ter  to  found  chairs  in  the  universities  for  its  exposition.  ® 
The  cause  of  liberality  and  light  gained  the  day,  and  the 
printing-press  decided  the  perpetuation  of  the  Talmud. 

In  the  second  stage  of  its  persecution  the  censor  figures. 
His  Philistine  pen  passed  ruthlessly  over  everything  that 
seemed  to  hint  at  criticism  of  the  Church  ;  but  not  content 
with  expunging  the  heretical  and  the  inferentially  heretical, 
the  censor  at  times  went  even  so  far  as  to  erase  sentiments 


SPECIAL  INTRODUCTION 


xv 


particularly  lofty,  in  order  that  the  Talmud  should  not  have 
the  credit  of  expounding  noble  doctrine,  nor  the  Jew  the 
advantage  of  studying  it. 

But  the  latest  stage  of  its  persecution  belongs  to  more 
modern  days,  when  inquisitions  were  out  of  date  and  monk¬ 
ish  claws  were  cut.  The  traducer  would  spitefully  engage 
the  services  of  some  renegade  Jew,  to  gather  from  the  Tal¬ 
mud  all  portions  and  passages  that  might  seem  grotesque 
and  ridiculous,  so  that  the  world  might  form  an  unfavor¬ 
able  impression  of  the  Talmud  and  of  the  people  who 
treasure  it.  This  has  been  done  with  so  much  success  that 
up  till  very  recently  the  Gentile  world,  including  the 
Christian  clergy,  knew  of  the  Talmud  only  through  these 
unfortunate  perversions  and  caricatures.  Imagine  the  cita¬ 
tion  of  a  chapter  from  Leviticus  and  one  from  Chronicles ,  of 
some  vindictive  passages  in  the  Psalms ,  of  a  few  skeptical 
bits  in  Ecclesiastes  and  Job ,  and  one  or  two  of  the  barbaric 
stories  in  Judges,  to  be  offered  to  the  world  as  a  fair  pic¬ 
ture  of  the  Bible,  and  you  will  understand  the  sort  of  treat¬ 
ment  the  Talmud  has  received  from  the  world  at  large 
and  the  kind  of  estimate  it  has  been  given  opportunity  to 
form. 

What  is  the  value  of  the  Talmud  for  the  Jew  ?  Certainly 
its  greatest  value  was  rendered  in  the  Middle  Ages,  when 
literature  was  scant  and  copies  of  the  few  books  in  exist¬ 
ence  were  rarer.  When  the  Jew  was  shut  out  of  the 
world’s  pleasure  and  the  world’s  culture  and  barred  up 
in  Ghetto  slums,  then  it  was  that  the  Talmud  became  his 
recreation  and  his  consolation,  feeding  his  mind  and  his 
faith.  In  this  way  it  not  only  became  in  the  Middle  Ages 
a  picture  of  the  Jew,  but  largely  formed  his  character.  It 
made  him  a  keen  dialectician,  tempered  with  a  thoughtful 
and  poetic  touch.  It  fostered  his  patience  and  his  humor 
and  kept  vivid  his  ideals.  It  linked  him  with  the  Orient, 
while  living  in  the  Occident  and  made  him  a  bridge  be¬ 
tween  the  old  and  the  new. 

To  the  world  at  large  it  has  great  value  archseologically. 
Here  are  preserved  ancient  laws,  glint  lights  on  past  history, 
forgotten  forms  in  the  classic  tongues,  and  pictures  of  old 
civilization.  No  one  criticism  can  cover  the  whole  work. 


XVI 


THE  TALMUD 


It  is  so  many-sided.  It  includes  so  many  different  standards 
of  worth  and  value.  If  we  take  it  as  a  whole,  it  is  good, 
it  is  bad  and  indifferent ;  it  is  trash  and  it  is  treasure  ;  it  is 
dust  and  it  is  diamonds ;  it  is  potsherd  and  it  is  pearls ; 
and  in  the  hands  of  impartial  scholars,  it  is  one  of  the 
great  monuments  of  mental  achievement,  one  of  the  world’s 
wonders. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


The  Talmud . 3 

The  Midrashim .  237 

The  Kabbala .  267 

Rabbinical  Ana . . . 291 

Proverbial  Sayings  and  Traditions .  331 

Fasts  and  Festivals .  373 


(xvii) 


THE  TALMUD 


THE  TALMUD,  THE  MIDRASHIM,  AND 

KABBALA 


WHERE  do  we  learn  that  the  Shechinah  rests  even  upon 
one  who  studies  the  law?  In  Exodus  xx.  24, 
where  it  is  written,  <(  In  all  places  where  I  record 
my  name  I  will  come  unto  thee,  and  I  will  bless  thee.” 

Berachoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  1. 

One  pang  of  remorse  at  a  man’s  heart  is  of  more  avail 
than  many  stripes  applied  to  him.  (See  Prov.  xvii.  10.) 

Ibid .,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

(<  Here,  O  Israel,  the  Ford  our  God  is  one  Eord !  ” 
(Deut.  vi.  4.)  Whosoever  prolongs  the  utterance  of  the 
word  one,  shall  have  his  days  and  years  prolonged  to  him. 
So  also  Zohar ,  syn.  tit.  ii.  Ibid. ,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

Once,  as  the  Rabbis  tell  us,  the  Roman  Government 
issued  a  decree  forbidding  Israel  to  study  the  law.  Where¬ 
upon  Pappus,  the  son  of  Yehudah,  one  day  found  Rabbi 
Akiva  teaching  it  openly  to  multitudes,  whom  he  had  gath¬ 
ered  round  him  to  hear  it.  <(  Akiva,”  said  he,  (<art  thou  not 
afraid  of  the  Government?”  <(  Rist,”  was  the  reply,  <(and 
I  will  tell  thee  how  it  is  by  a  parable.  It  is  with  me  as 
with  the  fishes  whom  a  fox,  walking  once  by  a  river’s 
side,  saw  darting  distractedly  to  and  fro  in  the  stream ; 
and,  addressing,  inquired,  ( From  what,  pray,  are  ye  flee¬ 
ing  ?)  * From  the  nets,*  they  replied,  *  which  the  children 

of  men  have  set  to  ensnare  us. )  (Why,  then,*  rejoined  the 
fox,  (not  try  the  dry  land  with  me,  where  you  and  I  can 
live  together,  as  our  fathers  managed  to  do  before  us  ?  * 
( Surely, J  exclaimed  they,  (thou  art  not  he  of  whom  we 
have  heard  so  much  as  the  most  cunning  of  animals,  for 
herein  thou  art  not  wise,  but  foolish.  For  if  we  have 
cause  to  fear  where  it  is  natural  for  us  to  live,  how  much 
more  reason  have  we  to  do  so  where  we  needs  must  die  ! * 

(3) 


4 


THE  TALMUD 


Just  so,”  continued  Akiva,  <(is  it  with  us  who  study  the 
law,  in  which  (Deut.  xxx.  20)  it  is  written,  ( He  is  thy 
life  and  the  length  of  thy  days ;  >  for  if  we  suffer  while 
we  study  the  law,  how  much  more  shall  we  if  we  neglect 
it?”  Not  many  days  after,  it  is  related,  this  Rabbi  Akiva 
was  apprehended  and  thrown  into  prison.  As  it  happened, 
they  led  him  out  for  execution  just  at  the  time  when 
<(  Hear,  O  Israel  !  ”  fell  to  be  repeated,  and  as  they  tore  his 
flesh  with  currycombs,  and  as  he  was  with  long-drawn 
breath  sounding  forth  the  word  one,  his  soul  departed  from 
him.  Then  came  forth  a  voice  from  heaven  which  said, 
<(  Blessed  art  thou,  Rabbi  Akiva,  for  thy  soul  and  the  word 
one  left  thy  body  together.”  Berachoth ,  fol.  61,  col.  2. 

The  badger,  as  it  existed  in  the  days  of  Moses,  was  an 
animal  of  unique  type,  and  the  learned  are  not  agreed 
whether  it  was  a  wild  one  or  a  domestic.  It  had  only  one 
horn  on  its  forehead ;  and  was  assigned  for  the  time  to 
Moses,  who  made  a  covering  of  its  skin  for  the  tabernacle  ; 
after  which  it  became  extinct,  having  served  the  purpose  of 
its  existence.  Rabbi  Yehudah  says,  (<  The  ox,  also,  which 
the  first  man,  Adam,  sacrificed,  had  but  one  horn  on  its 
forehead.”  Shabbath ,  fol.  28,  col.  2. 

Once  a  Gentile  came  to  Shamai,  and  said,  <(  Proselytize 
me,  but  on  condition  that  thou  teach  me  the  whole  law, 
even  the  whole  of  it,  while  I  stand  upon  one  leg.”  Shamai 
drove  him  off  with  the  builder’s  rod  which  he  held  in  his 
hand.  When  he  came  to  Hillel  with  the  same  challenge, 
Hillel  converted  him  by  answering  him  on  the  spot,  (<  That 
which  is  hateful  to  thyself,  do  not  do  to  thy  neighbor. 
This  is  the  whole  law,  and  the  rest  is  its  commentary.” 
(Tobit,  iv.  15;  Matt.  vii.  12.)  Ibid. ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

When  Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai  and  his  son,  Rabbi  Ela- 
zar,  came  out  of  their  cave  on  a  Friday  afternoon,  they 
saw  an  old  man  hurrying  along  with  two  bunches  of  myrtle 
in  his  hand.  <(  What,”  said  they,  accosting  him,  (<  dost 
thou  want  with  these  ?  ”  <(  To  smell  them  in  honor  of  the 

Sabbath,”  was  the  reply.  <(  Would  not  one  bunch,”  they 
remarked,  <(  be  enough  for  that  purpose?”  <(  Nay,”  the  old 
man  replied  ;  <(  one  is  in  honor  of  ( Remember )  (Exod. 


THE  TALMUD 


5 


xxii.  28);  and  one  in  honor  of  (  Keep  *  (Deut.  v.  8).  ® 
Thereupon  Rabbi  Shimon  remarked  to  his  son,  <(  Behold 
how  the  commandments  are  regarded  by  Israel  ! ® 

Ibid.,  fol.  33,  col.  2. 

Not  one  single  thing  has  God  created  in  vain.  He  cre¬ 
ated  the  snail  as  a  remedy  for  a  blister ;  the  fly  for  the 
sting  of  a  wasp ;  the  gnat  for  the  bite  of  a  serpent ;  the 
serpent  itself  for  healing  the  itch  (or  the  scab)  ;  and 
the  lizard  (or  the  spider)  for  the  sting  of  a  scorpion. 

Ibid.,  fol.  77.  cob  2. 

When  a  man  is  dangerously  ill,  the  law  grants  dispensa¬ 
tion,  for  it  says,  <(  You  may  break  one  Sabbath  on  his  be¬ 
half,  that  he  may  be  preserved  to  keep  many  Sabbaths.® 

Shabbath ,  fob  151,  cob  2. 

Once  when  Rabbi  Ishmael  paid  a  visit  to  Rabbi  Shimon, 
he  was  offered  a  cup  of  wine,  which  he  at  once,  without 
being  asked  twice,  accepted,  and  drained  at  one  draught. 
<(  Sir, ®  said  his  host,  <(  dost  thou  not  know  the  proverb, 
that  he  who  drinks  off  a  cup  of  wine  at  a  draught  is  a 
greedy  one  ? ®  (<  Ah  !  ®  was  the  answer,  <(  that  fits  not  this 

case ;  for  thy  cup  is  small,  thy  wine  is  sweet,  and  my 
stomach  is  capacious.  ®  P'sachim,  fob  86,  cob  2. 

At  the  time  when  Nimrod  the  wicked  had  cast  our 
Father  Abraham  into  the  fiery  furnace,  Gabriel  stood  forth 
in  the  presence  of  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  and 
said,  (<  Lord  of  the  universe,  let  me,  I  pray  thee,  go  down 
and  cool  the  furnace,  and  deliver  that  righteous  one  from 
it.®  Then  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He! — said  unto 
him,  (<  I  am  One  in  my  world  and  he  is  one  in  his  world  ; 
it  is  more  becoming  that  He  who  is  one  should  deliver 
him  -who  is  one.®  But  as  God  does  not  withhold  His  re¬ 
ward  from  any  creature,  He  said  to  Gabriel,  <(  For  this  thy 
good  intention,  be  thine  the  honor  of  rescuing  three  of  his 
descendants.®  At  the  time  when  Nebuchadnezzar  the 
wicked  cast  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah  into  the  fiery 
furnace,  Yourkami,  the  prince  of  hail,  arose  before  God  and 
said,  Lord  of  the  universe,  let  me,  I  pray  thee,  go  down 
and  cool  the  fiery  furnace,  and  rescue  these  righteous  men 
from  its  fury.®  Whereupon  Gabriel  interposed,  and  said, 


6 


THE  TALMUD 


<(  God’s  power  is  not  to  be  demonstrated  thus,'  for  thou  art 
the  prince  of  hail,  and  everybody  knows  that  water 
quenches  fire ;  but  I,  the  prince  of  fire,  wfill  go  down  and 
cool  the  flame  within  and  intensify  it  without  (so  as  to 
consume  the  executioners),  and  thus  will  I  perform  a  mir¬ 
acle  within  a  miracle. ”  Then  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 
He!  —  said  to  him,  <(  Go  down.”  Upon  which  Gabriel  ex¬ 
claimed,  (( Verily  the  truth  of  the  Lord  endureth  forever ! ” 
(Ps.  cxvii.  2.)  P: sachim)  fol.  118,  col.  i. 

One  peppercorn  to-day  is  better  than  a  basketful  of 
pumpkins  to-morrow.  Chaggigah ,  fol.  io,  col.  i. 

One  day  of  a  year  is  counted  for  a  whole  year. 

Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  2,  col.  2. 

If  a  king  be  crowned  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  Adar  (the  last  month 
of  the  sacred  year),  on  the  morrow  —  the  first  of  Nissan  —  it  is  reck¬ 
oned  that  he  commences  his  second  year,  that  being  the  new  year’s 
day  for  royal  and  ecclesiastical  affairs. 

For  the  sake  of  one  righteous  man  the  whole  world  is 
preserved  in  existence,  as  it  is  written  (Prov.  x.  25),  (<The 
righteous  man  is  an  everlasting  foundation.  ” 

Yoma ,  fol.  38,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Meyer  saith,  (<  Great  is  repentance,  because  for  the 
sake  of  one  that  truly  repenteth  the  whole  world  is  par¬ 
doned;  as  it  is  written  (Hosea  xiv.  4),  *1  will  heal  their 
backsliding,  I  will  love  them  freely,  for  mine  anger  is 
turned  away  from  him. > ”  It  is  not  said,  (<  from  them,” 
but  (<  from  him.”  Ibid.,  fol.  86,  col.  2. 

He  who  observes  one  precept,  in  addition  to  those  wdiich, 
as  originally  laid  upon  him,  he  has  discharged,  shall  receive 
favor  from  above,  and  is  equal  to  him  who  has  fulfilled  the 
whole  law.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  39,  col.  2. 

If  any  man  vow  a  vow  by  only  one  of  all  the  utensils 
of  the  altar,  he  has  vowed  by  the  corban,  even  although 
he  did  not  mention  the  word  in  his  oath.  Rabbi  Yehuda 
says,  <(  He  who  swears  by  the  word  Jerusalem  is  as  though 
he  had  said  nothing.”  Nedarim,  fol.  10,  col.  2. 

Balaam  was  lame  in  one  foot  and  blind  in  one  eye. 

Sotek ,  fol.  10,  col.  1,  and  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  105,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


7 


One  wins  eternal  life  after  a  struggle  of  years ;  another 
finds  it  in  one  hour  (see  Luke  xxiii.  43). 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

This  saying  is  applied  by  Rabbi  the  Holy  to  Rabbi  Bliezar,  the 
son  of  Durdia,  a  profligate  who  recommended  himself  to  the  favor  of 
heaven  by  one  prolonged  act  of  determined  penitence,  placing  his 
head  between  his  knees  and  groaning  and  weeping  till  his  soul  de¬ 
parted  from  him,  and  his  sin  and  misery  along  with  it ;  for  at  the 
moment  of  death  a  voice  from  heaven  came  forth  and  said,  <(  Rabbi 
Bliezar,  the  son  of  Durdia,  is  appointed  to  life  everlasting. w  When 
Rabbi  the  Holy  heard  this,  he  wept,  and  said,  <(One  wins  eternal  life 
after  a  struggle  of  years  ;  another  finds  it  in  one  hour.^  (Compare 
Luke  xv.  11-32.) 

Whosoever  destroy eth  one  soul  of  Israel,  Scripture  counts 
it  to  him  as  though  he  had  destroyed  the  whole  world  ; 
and  whoso  preserveth  one  soul  of  Israel,  Scripture  counts 
it  as  though  he  had  preserved  the  whole  world. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  37,  col.  1. 

The  greatness  of  God  is  infinite  ;  for  while  with  one  die 
man  impresses  many  coins  and  all  are  exactly  alike,  the 
King  of  kings,  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  with  one 
die  impresses  the  same  image  (of  Adam)  on  all  men,  and 
3'et  not  one  of  them  is  like  his  neighbor.  So  that  every 
one  ought  to  say,  aFor  myself  is  the  world  created.” 

Ibid.,  fol.  37,  col.  1. 

<(  He  caused  the  lame  to  mount  on  the  back  of  the 
blind,  and  judged  them  both  as  one.”  Antoninus  said  to 
the  Rabbi,  (<  Body  and  soul  might  each  plead  right  of  ac¬ 
quittal  at  the  day  of  judgment. ”  (( How  so?”  he  asked. 

(<  The  body  might  plead  that  it  was  the  soul  that  had 
sinned,  and  urge,  saying,  (See,  since  the  departure  of  the 
soul  I  have  lain  in  the  grave  as  still  as  a  stoned  And 
the  soul  might  plead,  ( It  was  the  body  that  sinned,  for 
since  the  day  I  left  it,  I  have  flitted  about  in  the  air  as 
innocent  as  a  bird. *  ”  To  which  the  Rabbi  replied  and 
said,  <(  Whereunto  this  thing  is  like,  I  will  tell  thee  in  a 
parable.  It  is  like  unto  a  king  who  had  an  orchard  with 
some  fine  young  fig  trees  planted  in  it.  He  set  two  gar¬ 
deners  to  take  care  of  them,  of  whom  one  was  lame  and 
the  other  blind.  One  day  the  lame  one  said  to  the  blind, 


8 


THE  TALMUD 


( I  see  some  fine  figs  in  the  garden ;  come,  take  me  on  thy 
shoulders,  and  we  will  pluck  them  and  eat  them. )  By  and 
by  the  lord  of  the  garden  came,  and  missing  the  fruit  from 
the  fig  trees,  began  to  make  inquiry  after  them.  The 
lame  one,  to  excuse  himself,  pleaded,  ( I  have  no  legs  to 
walk  with  ;  )  and  the  blind  one,  to  excuse  himself,  pleaded, 
(I  have  no  eyes  to  see  with.1*  What  did  the  lord  of  the 
garden  do?  He  caused  the  lame  to  mount  upon  the  back 
of  the  blind,  and  judged  them  both  as  one.”  So  likewise 
will  God  re- unite  soul  and  body,  and  judge  them  both  as 
one  together;  as  it  is  written  (Ps.  1.  4),  (<  He  shall  call  to 
the  heavens  from  above,  and  to  the  earth,  that  He  may 
judge  His  people.”  (<  He  shall  call  to  the  heavens  from 
above,”  that  alludes  to  the  soul;  (<  and  to  the  earth,  that 
He  may  judge  His  people,”  that  refers  to  the  body. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  91,  cols.  1,  2. 

Rabbi  Yehudah,  surnamed  the  Holy,  the  editor  of  the  Mishnah,  is  the 
personage  here  and  elsewhere  spoken  of  as  the  Rabbi  by  pre-eminence. 
He  was  an  intimate  friend  of  the  Roman  Emperor  Antoninus  Pius. 

One  thing  obtained  with  difficulty  is  far  better  than  a 
hundred  things  procured  with  ease. 

Avoth  d'  Rab.  Nathan ,  ch.  3. 

In  the  name  of  Rav,  Rabbi  Yehoshua  bar  Abba  says, 
(<  Whoso  buys  a  scroll  of  the  law  in  the  market  seizes  pos¬ 
session  of  another’s  meritorious  act ;  but  if  he  himself  copies 
out  a  scroll  of  the  law,  Scripture  considers  him  as  if  he 
had  himself  received  it  direct  from  Mount  Sinai.”  (<Nay,” 
adds  Rav  Yehudah,  in  the  name  of  Rav,  “even  if  he  has 
amended  one  letter  in  it,  Scripture  considers  him  as  if  he 
had  written  it  out  entirely.”  Menachoth ,  fol.  30,  col.  1. 

He  who  forgets  one  thing  that  he  has  learned  breaks  a 
negative  commandment;  for  it  is  written  (Deut.  iv.  9), 
“Take  heed  to  thyself  .  .  .  lest  thou  forget  the  things.” 

Menachoth ,  fol.  99,  col.  2. 

A  proselyte  who  has  taken  it  upon  himself  to  observe 
the  law,  but  is  suspected  of  neglecting  one  point,  is  to  be 
suspected  of  being  guilty  of  neglecting  the  whole  law,  and 
therefore  regarded  as  an  apostate  Israelite,  and  to  be  pun¬ 
ished  accordingly.  Bechoroth ,  fol.  30,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


9 


It  is  written  (Gen.  xxviii.  n),  <(  And  he  took  from  the 
stones  of  the  place ;  ®  and  again  it  is  written  (ver.  18), 
<(  And  he  took  the  stone. )}  Rabbi  Isaac  says  this  teaches 
that  all  these  stones  gathered  themselves  together  into  one 
place,  as  if  each  were  eager  that  the  saint  should  lay  his 
head  upon  it.  It  happened,  as  the  Rabbis  tell  us,  that  all 
the  stones  were'  swallowed  up  by  one  another,  and  thus 
merged  into  one  stone.  Chullin ,  fol.  91,  col.  2. 

Though  the  Midrash  and  two  of  the  Targums,  that  of  Jonathan  and 
the  Yerushalmi,  tell  the  same  fanciful  story  about  these  stones,  Aben 
Ezra  and  R.  Shemuel  ben  Meir  among  others  adopt  the  opposite  and 
common-sense  interpretation  which  assigns  to  the  word  in  Gen.  xxviii. 
11,  no  such  occult  meaning. 

The  psalms  commencing  (<  Blessed  is  the  man  *  and 
<(  Why  do  the  heathen  rage  ®  constitute  but  one  psalm. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

The  former  Chasidim  used  to  sit  still  one  hour,  and  then 
pray  for  one  hour,  and  then  again  sit  still  for  one  hour. 

Ibid.,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

All  the  benedictions  in  the  Temple  used  to  conclude  with 
the  words  <(  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  unto  eter¬ 
nity  ;  w  but  when  the  Sadducees,  corrupting  the  faith,  main¬ 
tained  that  there  was  only  one  world,  it  was  enacted  that 
they  should  conclude  with  the  words  <(  from  eternity  unto 
eternity.  *  Berachoth ,  fol.  54,  col.  1. 

The  Sadducees  (Zadokim),  so  called  after  Zadok  their  master,  as 
is  known,  stood  rigidly  by  the  original  Mosaic  code,  and  set  them¬ 
selves  determinedly  against  all  traditional  developments.  To  the  Tal¬ 
mudists,  therefore,  they  were  especially  obnoxious,  and  their  bald, 
cold  creed  is  looked  upon  by  them  with  something  like  horror.  It  is 
thus  the  Talmud  warns  against  them  — (<  Believe  not  in  thyself  till  the 
day  of  thy  death,  for,  behold,  Yochanan,  after  officiating  in  the  High 
Priesthood  for  eighty  years,  became  in  the  end  a  Sadducee.®  ( Bera¬ 
choth ,  fol.  29,  col.  1.)  In  Derech  Eretz  Zuta,  chap,  i.,  a  caution  is 
given  which  might  well  provoke  attention  — <(  Learn  or  inquire  noth¬ 
ing  of  the  Sadducees,  lest  thou  be  drawn  into  hell.® 

Rabbi  Yehudah  tells  us  that  Rav  says  a  man  should 
never  absent  himself  from  the  lecture  hall,  not  even  for 
one  hour  ;  for  the  above  Mishnah  had  been  taught  at  col¬ 
lege  for  many  years,  but  the  reason  of  it  had  never  been 


JO 


THE  TALMUD 


made  plain  till  the  hour  when  Rabbi  Chanina  'ben  Akavia 
came  and  explained  it.  Shabbath ,  fol.  83,  col.  2. 

The  Mishnah  alluded  to  is  short  and  simple,  viz,  Where  is  it 
taught  that  a  ship  is  clean  to  the  touch?  From  Prov.  xxx.  19,  «The 
way  of  a  ship  in  the  midst  of  the  sea  »  (  i .  e.,  as  the  sea  is  clean  to 
the  touch,  therefore  a  ship  must  also  be  clean  to  the  touch). 

It  is  indiscreet  for  one  to  sleep  in  a  house  as  the  sole 
occupant,  for  Lilith  will  seize  hold  of  him. 

Ibid.,  fol.  151,  col.  2. 

Lilith  (the  night-visiting  one)  is  the  name  of  a  night  spectre, 
said  to  have  been  Adam’s  first  wife,  but  who,  for  her  refractory  con¬ 
duct,  was  transformed  into  a  demon  endowed  with  power  to  injure 
and  even  destroy  infants  unprotected  by  the  necessary  amulet  or 
charm. 

<(  Thou  hast  acknowledged  the  Lord  this  day  to  be  thy 
God  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  acknowledged  thee  this  day 
to  be  His  peculiar  people (Deut.  xxvi.  17,  18).  The 

Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  said  unto  Israel,  <(  Ye  have 
made  Me  a  name  in  the  world,  as  it  is  written  (Deut.  vi.  4), 
(  Hear,  O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord ; >  and  so 
I  will  make  you  a  name  in  the  world,  as  it  is  said  (1 
Chron.  xvii.  21),  (  And  what  one  nation  in  the  earth  is  like 
Thy  people  Israel?  >  »  Chaggigah ,  fol.  3,  col.  1. 

Why  are  the  words  of  the  Law  compared  to  fire?  (Jer. 
xxiii.  29.)  Because,  as  fire  does  not  burn  when  there  is 
but  one  piece  of  wood,  so  do  the  words  of  the  Law  not 
maintain  the  fire  of  life  when  meditated  on  by  one  alone 
(see,  in  confirmation,  Matt,  xviii.  20). 

Taanith ,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

<(  And  Moses  went  up  from  the  plains  of  Moab  unto  the 
mountain  of  Nebo w  (Deut.  xxxiv.  1).  Tradition  says  there 
were  twelve  stairs,  but  that  Moses  surmounted  them  all  in 
one  step.  Soteh,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

Pieces  of  money  given  in  charity  should  not  be  counted 
over  by  twos,  but  one  by  one.  Bava  Bathra,  fol.  8,  col.' 2. 

(<  Knowest  thou  the  time  when  the  wild  goats  of  the  rock 
bring  forth  ?  ®  (Job  xxxix.  1.)  The  wild  goat  is  cruel  to 
her  offspring.  As  soon  as  they  are  brought  forth,  she  climbs 
with  them  to  the  steep  cliffs,  that  they  may  fall  headlong 


THE  TALMUD 


1 1 

and  die.  But,  said  God  to  Job,  to  prevent  this  I  provide 
an  eagle  to  catch  the  kid  upon  its  wings,  and  then  carry 
and  lay  it  before  its  cruel  mother.  Now,  if  that  eagle 
should  be  too  soon  or  too  late  by  one  second  only,  instant 
death  to  the  kid  could  not  be  averted ;  but  with  Me  one 
second  is  never  changed  for  another.  Shall  Job  be  now 
changed  by  Me,  therefore,  into  an  enemy.  (Comp.  Job  ix. 
17,  and  xxxiv.  35.)  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  16,  cols.  1,  2. 

A  generation  can  have  one  leader  only,  and  not  two. 

Sanhedrm ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

<(  Dike  the  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock  in  pieces }> 
(Jer.  xxiii.  29).  As  a  hammer  divideth  fire  into  many 
sparks,  so  one  verse  of  Scripture  has  many  meanings  and 
many  explanations.  Ibid.,  fol.  34,  col.  1. 

In  the  Machser  for  Pentecost  (p.  69)  God  is  said  to  have  <c  ex¬ 
plained  the  law  to  His  people,  face  to  face,  and  on  every  point 
ninety-eight  explanations  are  given. w 

Adam  was  created  one  without  Eve.  Why?  That  the 
Sadducees  might  not  assert  the  plurality  of  powers  in 
heaven.  Ibid.,  fol.  37,  col.  1. 

As  the  Sadducees  did  not  believe  in  a  plurality  of  powers  in  heaven, 
but  only  the  Christians,  in  the  regard  of  the  Jews,  did  so  (by  their 
profession  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity),  it  is  obvious  that  here,  as 
well  as  often  elsewhere,  the  latter  and  not  the  former  are  intended. 

<(  And  the  frog  came  up  and  covered  the  land  of  Egypt 
(Exod.  viii.  1  ;  A.  V.  viii.  6).  (<  There  was  but  one  frog, ® 

said  Rabbi  Elazar,  <(  and  she  so  multiplied  as  to  fill  the 
whole  land  of  Egypt. w  <(Yes,  indeed, ®  said  Rabbi  Akiva, 
<(  there  was,  as  you  say,  but  one  frog,  but  she  herself  was 
so  large  as  to  fill  all  the  land  of  Egypt. w  Whereupon 
Rabbi  Elazar  ben  Azariah  said  unto  him,  (<  Akiva,  what 
business  hast  thou  with  Haggadah  ?  Be  off  with  thy  le¬ 
gends,  and  get  thee  to  the  laws  thou  art  familiar  with 
about  plagues  and  tents.  Though  thou  sayest  right  in  this 
matter,  for  there  was  only  one  frog,  but  she  croaked  so 
loud  that  the  frogs  came  from  everywhere  else  to  her 
croaking. ®  Sanhedrin,  fol.  67,  col.  2. 

Rabba,  the  grandson  of  Channa,  said  that  he  himself  once  saw  a 
frog  larger  than  any  seen  now,  though  not  so  large  as  the  frog  in 


12 


THE  TALMUD 


Egypt.  It  was  as  large  as  Acra,  a  village  of  some '  sixty  houses. 
{Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  73,  col.  2.) 

Apropos  to  the  part  the  frog  was  conceived  to  play  or  symbolize 
in  the  Jewish  conception  of  the  mode  and  ministry  of  Divine  judg¬ 
ment,  we  quote  the  following  : — <(We  are  told  that  Samuel  once  saw 
a  frog  carrying  a  scorpion  on  its  back  across  a  river,  upon  the  oppo¬ 
site  bank  of  wrhich  a  man  stood  waiting  ready  to  be  stung.  The 
sting  proving  fatal,  so  that  the  man  died  ;  upon  which  Samuel  ex¬ 
claimed,  <Lord,  they  wait  for  Thy  judgments  this  day  :  for  all  are  Thy 
servants.*  (Ps.  cxix.  91.)®  ( Nedarim ,  fol.  41,  col.  1.) 

<( According  to  the  days  of  one  king”  (Isa.  xxiii.  15). 
What  king  is  this  that  is  singled  out  as  one  ?  Thou  must 
say  this  is  the  King  Messiah,  and  no  other. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  99,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Levi  contends  that  Manasseh  has  no  portion  in  the 
world  to  come,  while  Rabbi  Yehudah  maintains  that  he 
has ;  and  each  supports  his  conclusion  in  contradiction  of 
the  other,  from  one  and  the  same  Scripture  text. 

Ibid.,  fol.  102,  col.  2. 

The  words,  (<  Remember  the  Sabbath  day,”  in  Exod.  xx. 
8,  and  <(  Keep  the  Sabbath  day,”  in  Deut.  v.  12,  were  ut¬ 
tered  in  one  breath,  as  no  man’s  mouth  could  utter  them, 
and  no  man’s  ear  could  hear.  Shevuotk ,  fol.  20,  col.  2. 

The  officer  who  inflicts  flagellation  on  a  criminal  must 
smite  with  one  hand  only,  but  yet  with  all  his  force. 

Maccoth ,  fol.  22,  col.  2. 

I  would  rather  be  called  a  fool  all  my  days  than  sin  one 
hour  before  God.  Edioth ,  chap.  5,  mish.  6. 

He  who  observes  but  one  precept  secures  for  himself  an 
advocate,  and  he  who  commits  one  single  sin  procures  for 
himself  an  accuser.  Avoth,  chap.  4,  mish.  15. 

He  wTho  learns  from  another  one  chapter,  one  halachah, 
one  verse,  or  one  wTord  or  even  a  single  letter,  is  bound  to 
respect  him.  Ibid.,  chap.  6,  mish.  3. 

The  above  is  one  evidence,  among  many,  of  the  high  esteem  in 
which  learning  and  the  office  of  a  teacher  are  held  among  the  Jews. 
Education  is  one  of  the  virtues  —  of  which  the  following,  extracted 
from  the  Talmud,  is  a  list  —  the  interest  of  which  the  Jew  considers 
he  enjoys  in  this  world,  while  the  capital  remains  intact  against  the 
exigencies  of  the  world  to  come.  These  are :  —  The  honoring  of  father 
and  mother,  acts  of  benevolence,  hospitality  to  strangers,  visiting  the 


THE  TALMUD 


13 


sick,  devotion  in  prayer,  promotion  of  peace  between  man  and  man, 
and  study  in  general,  but  the  study  of  the  law  outweighs  them  all. 
( Shabbath ,  fol.  137,  col.  1.)  The  study  of  the  law,  it  is  said,  is  of  greater 
merit  to  rescue  one  from  accidental  death,  than  building  the  Temple,  and 
greater  than  honoring  father  or  mother.  (. Meggillah ,  fol.  16,  col  2.) 

<(  Repent  one  day  before  thy  death.  ®  In  relation  to  which 
Rabbi  Eliezer  was  asked  by  his  disciples,  <(  How  is  a  man 
to  repent  one  day  before  his  death,  since  he  does  not  know 
on  what  day  he  shall  die  ? }>  <(  So  much  the  more  reason  is 

there, he  replied,  <(that  he  should  repent  to-day,  lest  he 
die  to-morrow  ;  and  repent  to-morrow,  lest  he  die  the  day 
after :  and  thus  will  all  his  days  be  penitential  ones. J) 

Avoth  d? Rab.  Natha?i ,  chap.  15. 

He  who  obliterates  one  letter  from  the  written  name  of 
God,  breaks  a  negative  command,  for  it  is  said,  <(And  de¬ 
stroy  the  names  of  them  out  of  that  place.  Ye  shall  not 
do  so  unto  the  Lord  your  God  (Deut.  xii.  3,  4). 

Sophrim ,  chap.  5,  hal.  6. 

Rabbi  Chanina  could  put  on  and  off  his  shoes  while 
standing  on  one  leg  only,  though  he  was  eighty  years  of 
age.  Chullin ,  fol.  24,  col.  2. 

A  priest  who  is  blind  in  one  eye  should  not  be  judge  of 
the  plague;  for  it  is  said  (Lev.  xiii.  12),  (<  Wheresoever 
the  priest  (with  both  eyes)  looketh.^ 

Negaim}  chap.  2,  mish.  3. 

The  twig  of  a  bunch  without  any  grapes  is  clean ;  but 
if  there  remained  one  grape  on  it,  it  is  unclean. 

Okzin,  chap.  1,  mish.  5. 

Not  every  man  deserves  to  have  two  tables. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  5,  col.  2. 

The  meaning  of  this  rather  ambiguous  sentence  may  either  be,  that 
all  men  are  not  able  to  succeed  in  more  enterprises  than  one  at  a 
time  ;  or  that  it  is  not  given  to  every  one  to  make  the  best  both  of 
the  present  world  and  of  that  which  is  to  come. 

Abba  Benjamin  used  to  say  <(  There  are  two  things  about 
which  I  have  all  my  life  been  much  concerned  :  that  my 
prayer  should  be  offered  in  front  of  my  bed,  and  that  the 
position  of  my  bed  should  be  from  north  to  south. * 

Ibid. ,  fol.  5,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


14 


There  are  several  reasons  which  may  be  adduced  'to  account  for 
Abba  Benjamin’s  anxiety,  and  they  are  all  more  or  less  connected 
with  the  important  consequences  which  were  supposed  to  depend  upon 
determining  his  position  with  reference  to  the  Shechinah,  which 
rested  in  the  east  or  the  west. 

Abba  Benjamin  felt  anxious  to  have  children,  for  (<any  man  not 
having  children  is  counted  as  dead,**  as  it  is  written  (Gen.  xxx.  1), 
(<Give  me  children,  or  else  I  die.^  ( Nedarin ,  fol.  64,  col.  2.) 

With  the  Jew  one  great  consideration  of  life  is  to  have  children, 
and  more  especially  male  children;  because  when  a  boy  is  born  all 
rejoice  over  him,  but  over  a  girl  they  all  mourn.  When  a  boy  comes 
into  the  world  he  brings  peace  with  him,  and  a  loaf  of  bread  in  his 
hand,  but  a  girl  brings  nothing.  ( Niddah ,  fol.  31,  col.  2.) 

It  is  impossible  for  the  world  to  be  without  males  and  females, 
but  blessed  is  he  whose  children  are  boys,  and  hapless  is  he  whose 
children  are  girls.  ( Kiddushin ,  fol.  82,  col.  2.) 

Whosoever  does  not  leave  a  son  to  be  heir,  God  will  heap  wrath 
upon  him.  (Scripture  is  quoted  in  proof  of  this,  compare  Numb, 
xxvii.  8  with  Zeph.  i.  15.)  ( Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  116,  col.  1.) 

<(  There  are  two  ways  before  me,  one  leading  into  Para¬ 
dise,  the  other  into  Hell.”  When  Yochanan,  the  son  of 
Zachai,  was  sick  unto  death,  his  disciples  came  to  visit  him  ; 
and  when  he  saw  them  he  wept,  upon  which  his  disciples 
exclaimed,  <( Light  of  Israel!  Pillar  of  the  right!  Mighty 
Hammer!  why  weepest  thou?”  He  replied,  <(If  I  were 
going  to  be  led  into  the  presence  of  a  king,  who  is  but 
flesh  and  blood,  to-day  here  and  to-morrow  in  the  grave, 
whose  anger  with  me  could  not  last  forever,  whose  sentence 
against  me,  were  it  even  unto  death,  could  not  endure  for¬ 
ever,  and  whom  perhaps  I  might  pacify  wflth  words  or 
bribe  with  money,  yet  for  all  that  should  I  "weep ;  but  now 
that  I  am  about  to  enter  the  presence  of  the  King  of 
kings,  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  forever  and  ever!  — 
whose  anger  would  be  everlasting,  whose  sentence  of  death 
or  imprisonment  admits  of  no  reprieve,  and  who  is  not  to 
be  pacified  with  words  nor  bribed  with  money,  and  in 
whose  presence  there  are  two  roads  before  me,  one  leading 
into  Paradise  and  the  other  into  Hell,  and  should  I  not 
weep?”  Then  prayed  they  him,  and  said,  <c  Rabbi,  give 
us  thy  farewell  blessing;”  and  he  said  unto  them,  ((0h 
that  the  fear  of  God  may  be  as  much  upon  you  as  the 
fear  of  man.”  Berachoth ,  fol.  28,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


IS 


Rabbi  Ami  says,  <(  Knowledge  is  of  great  price,  for  it  is 
placed  between  two  divine  names,  as  it  is  written  (i  Sam. 
ii.  3),  <(A  God  of  knowledge  is  the  L,ord,”  and  therefore 
mercy  is  to  be  denied  to  him  who  has  no  knowledge  ;  for  it 
is  written  (Isa.  xxvii.  11),  <(  It  is  a  people  of  no  under¬ 
standing,  therefore  He  that  hath  made  them  will  not  have 
mercy  on  them.”  Berachoth ,  fol.  33,  col.  1. 


Here  we  have  a  clear  law,  drawn  from  Scripture,  forbidding,  or  at 
any  rate  denying,  mercy  to  the  ignorant.  The  words  of  Rabbi  (the 
Holy)  are  a  practical  commentary  on  the  text  worth  quoting,  ((Woe 
is  unto  me  because  I  have  given  my  morsel  to  an  ignorant  one.® 
( Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  8,  col.  1.) 

But  who  is  the  ignorant  one  from  whom  this  mercy  is  to  be 
withheld?  Here  the  doctors  disagree.  He,  says  Rabbi  Eliezer,  who 
does  not  read  the  Shema,  (<  Hear,  O  Israel,®  etc.,  both  morning  and 
evening.  According  to  Rabbi  Yehudah,  he  that  does  not  put  on 
phylacteries  is  an  ignorant  one.  Rabbi  Azai  affirms  that  he  who 
wears  no  fringes  to  his  garment  is  an  ignorant  one,  etc.  Others  again 
say  he  who  even  reads  the  Bible  and  the  Mishna  but  does  not  serve  the 
disciples  of  the  wise,  is  an  ignorant  one.  Rabbi  Huna  winds  up  with 
the  words  <(the  law  is  as  the  others  have  said,®  and  so  leaves  the 
difficulty  where  he  finds  it.  (. Berachoth ,  fol.  47,  col.  2.) 

Of  him  <(  who  transgresses  the  words  of  the  wise,  which  he  is  com¬ 
manded  to  obey,®  it  is  written,  (<  He  is  guilty  of  death  and  has  for¬ 
feited  his  life.®  {Berachoth,  fol.  4,  col.  2,  and  Yevamoth ,  fol.  20,  col. 
1.)  Whoso,  therefore,  shows  mercy  to  him  contradicts  the  purpose 
and  incurs  the  displeasure  of  God.  It  was  in  application  of  this 
principle,  literally  interpreted,  that  the  wise  should  hold  no  parley 
with  the  ignorant,  which  led  the  Jews  to  condemn  the  contrary  pro¬ 
cedure  of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  was  this  prohibition  to  show  mercy  to  the  ignorant,  together 
with  the  solemn  threatenings  directed  against  those  who  neglected  the 
study  of  the  law,  that  worked  such  a  wonderful  revolution  in  Heze- 
kiah’s  time  ;  for  it  is  said  that  then  <(  they  searched  from  Dan  to 
Beersheba,  and  did  not  find  an  ignorant  one.®  ( Sanhedrin ,  fol.  94, 
col.  2.) 


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When  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  remembers  that 
His  children  are  in  trouble  among  the  nations  of  the  world, 
He  drops  two  tears  into  the  great  ocean,  the  noise  of  which 
startles  the  world  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  causes 
the  earth  to  quake.  Berachoth ,  fol.  59,  col.  1. 

We  read  in  the  Talmud  that  a  Gentile  once  came  to 
Shamai  and  said,  <(  How  many  laws  have  you  ?  ”  Shamai 
replied,  ((  We  have  two,  the  written  law  and  the  oral  law.” 


i6 


THE  TALMUD 


To  which  the  Gentile  made  answer,  ((When  you  speak  of 
the  written  law,  I  believe  you,  but  in  your  oral  law  I 
have  no  faith.  Nevertheless,  you  may  make  me  a  pros¬ 
elyte  on  condition  that  you  teach  me  the  written  law 
only.”  Upon  this  Shamai  rated  him  sharply,  and  sent  him 
away  with  indignant  abuse.  When,  however,  this  Gentile 
came  with  the  same  object,  and  proposed  the  same  terms 
to  Hillel,  the  latter  proceeded  at  once  to  proselytize  him, 
and  on  the  first  day  taught  him  Aleph,  Beth,  Gemel,  Da- 
leth.  On  the  morrow  Hillel  reversed  the  order  of  these 
letters,  upon  which  the  proselyte  remonstrated  and  said, 
<(  But  thou  didst  not  teach  me  so  yesterday.”  “True,”  said 
Hillel,  “  but  thou  didst  trust  me  in  what  I  taught  thee 
then ;  why,  then,  dost  thou  not  trust  me  now  in  what  I 
tell  thee  respecting  the  oral  law  ?  ” 

Shabbath ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

Every  man  as  he  goes  on  the  eve  of  the  Sabbath  from 
the  synagogue  to  his  house  is  escorted  by  two  angels,  one 
of  which  is  a  good  angel  and  the  other  an  evil.  When 
the  man  comes  home  and  finds  the  lamps  lit,  the  table 
spread,  and  the  bed  in  order,  the  good  angel  says,  <(  May 
the  coming  Sabbath  be  even  as  the  present ;  ”  to  which  the 
evil  angel  (though  with  reluctance)  is  obliged  to  say, 
(( Amen.”  But  if  all  be  in  disorder,  then  the  bad  angel 
says,  <(  May  the  coming  Sabbath  be  even  as  the  present,” 
and  the  good  angel  is  (with  equal  reluctance,  obliged  to  say 
((  Amen  ”  to  it.  Ibid.,  fol.  119,  col.  2. 

Two  are  better  than  three.  Alas !  for  the  one  that  goes 

and  does  not  return  again.  Shabbath ,  fol.  152,  col.  1. 

As  in  the  riddle  of  the  Sphinx,  the  ^two®  here  stands  for  youth 
with  its  two  sufficient  legs,  and  the  <(  three  ®  for  old  age,  which  requires 
a  third  support  in  a  staff. 

There  were  two  things  which  God  first  thought  of  creat¬ 
ing  on  the  eve  of  the  Sabbath,  which,  however,  were  not 
created  till  after  the  Sabbath  had  closed.  The  first  was 
fire,  which  Adam  by  divine  suggestion  drew  forth  by  strik¬ 
ing  together  two  stones ;  and  the  second,  was  the  mule, 
produced  by  the  crossing  of  two  different  animals. 

P' sachim,  fol.  54,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


1 7 


<(  Every  one  has  two  portions,  one  in  paradise  and  an¬ 
other  in  hell.®  Acheer  asked  Rabbi  Meyer,  <(  What  meaneth 
this  that  is  written  (Eccl.  vii.  14),  (  God  also  has  set  the 
one  over  against  the  other )  ? ®  Rabbi  Meyer  replied, 
<(  There  is  nothing  which  God  has  created  of  which  He  has 
not  also  created  the  opposite.  He  who  created  mountains 
and  hills  created  also  seas  and  rivers.  ®  But  said  Acheer  to 
Rabbi  Meyer,  <(  Thy  master,  Rabbi  Akiva,  did  not  say  so, 
but  spake  in  this  way  :  He  created  the  righteous  and  also 
the  wicked  ;  He  created  paradise  and  hell  :  every  man  has 
two  portions,  one  portion  in  paradise,  and  the  other  in  hell. 
The  righteous,  who  has  personal  merit,  carries  both  his 
own  portion  of  good  and  that  of  his  wicked  neighbor  away 
with  him  to  paradise  ;  the  wicked,  who  is  guilty  and  con¬ 
demned,  carries  both  his  own  portion  of  evil  and  also  that 
of  his  righteous  neighbor  away  with  him  to  hell. ®  When  Rav 
Mesharshia  asked  what  Scripture  guarantee  there  was  for 
this,  this  was  the  reply :  <(  With  regard  to  the  righteous, 
it  is  written  (Isa.  lxi.  7),  (They  shall  rejoice  in  their  por¬ 
tion,  therefore  in  their  land  (beyond  the  grave)  they  shall 
possess  the  doubled  Respecting  the  wicked  it  is  written 
(Jer.  xvii.  18),  (And  destroy  them  with  double  destruc¬ 
tion.  >  ®  Ckaggzgak,  fol.  15,  col.  1. 

The  question  asked  above  by  Acheer  has  been  practically  resolved 
by  all  wise  men  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  but  it  is  the  boast 
of  the  Hegelians  that  it  has  for  the  first  time  been  resolved  philosoph¬ 
ically  by  their  master.  Others  had  maintained  that  you  could  not 
think  a  thing  but  through  its  opposite  ;  he  first  maintained  it  could 
not  exist  but  through  its  opposite,  that,  in  fact,  the  thing  and  its  op¬ 
posite  must  needs  arise  together,  and  that  eternally,  as  complements 
of  one  unity  :  the  white  is  not  there  without  the  black,  nor  the  black 
without  the  white  ;  the  good  is  not  there  without  the  evil,  nor  the 
evil  without  the  good. 

Pride  is  unbecoming  in  women.  There  were  two  proud 
women,  and  their  names  were  contemptible ;  the  name  of 
the  one,  Deborah,  meaning  wasp,  and  of  the  other,  Huldah, 
weasel.  Respecting  the  wasp  it  is  written  (Judges  iv.  6), 
(<  And  she  sent  and  called  Barak,®  whereas  she  ought  to  have 
gone  to  him.  Concerning  the  weasel  it  is  written  (2 Kings 
xxii.  15),  (<  Tell  the  man  that  sent  you, ®  whereas  she  should 
have  said,  <(  Tell  the  king.®  Meggillah ,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 


i8 


THE  TALMUD 


If  speech  is  worth  one  sela  (a  small  coin  so  called), 
silence  is  worth  two.  Ibid. ,  fol.  18,  col.  i. 

The  Swiss  motto,  <(  Speech  is  worth  silver,  silence  worth  gold,®  ex¬ 
presses  a  sentiment  which  finds  great  favor  with  the  authors  and 
varied  expression  in  the  pages  of  the  Talmud. 

If  silence  be  good  for  wise  men,  how  much  better  must 
it  be  for  fools  !  P* sachim,  fol.  98,  col.  2. 

For  every  evil  silence  is  the  best  remedy. 

Meggillah ,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

Silence  is  as  good  as  confession. 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  87,  col.  1. 

Silence  in  a  Babylonian  was  a  mark  of  his  being  of  good 
family.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  71,  col.  2. 

Simeon,  the  son  of  Gamliel,  said,  (<  I  have  been  brought 
up  all  my  life  among  the  wise,  and  I  have  never  found 
anything  of  more  material  benefit  than  silence. }) 

Avoth ,  chap.  1. 

Rabbi  Akiva  said,  <(  Laughter  and  levity  lead  a  man  to 
lewdness  ;  but  tradition  is  a  fence  to  the  law,  tithes  are  a 
fence  to  riches,  vows  are  a  fence  to  abstinence,  while  the 
fence  of  wisdom  is  silence. Ibid.,  chap.  3. 

When  they  opened  his  brain,  they  found  in  it  a  gnat  as 
big  as  a  swallow  and  weighing  two  selas. 

Gittin ,  fol.  56,  col.  2. 

The  context  of  the  above  states  a  tradition  current  among  the  Jews 
in  reference  to  Titus,  the  destroyer  of  Jerusalem.  It  is  said  that 
when,  after  taking  the  city,  he  had  shamefully  violated  and  profaned 
the  Temple,  he  took  the  sacred  vessels  of  the  sanctuary,  wrapped 
them  in  the  veil  of  the  holy  place,  and  sailed  with  them  to  Rome. 
At  sea  a  storm  arose  and  threatened  to  sink  the  ship  ;  upon  which  he 
was  heard  reflecting,  <(It  seems  the  God  of  these  Jews  has  no  power 
anywhere  but  at  sea.  Pharaoh  He  drowned,  and  Sisera  He  drowned, 
and  now  He  is  about  to  drown  me  also.  If  He  be  mighty,  let  Him 
go  ashore  and  contend  with  me  there.®  Then  came  a  voice  from 
heaven  and  said,  <(0  thou  wicked  one,  son  of  a  wicked  man  and 
grandson  of  Esau  the  wicked,  go  ashore.  I  have  a  creature  —  an  in¬ 
significant  one  in  my  world — go  and  fight  with  it.® 

This  creature  was  a  gnat,  and  is  called  insignificant  because  it  must 
receive  and  discharge  what  it  eats  by  one  aperture.  Immediately, 
therefore,  he  landed,  when  a  gnat  flew  up  his  nostrils  and  made  its 
way  to  his  brain,  on  which  it  fed  for  a  period  of  seven  years.  One 


THE  TALMUD 


19 


day  he  happened  to  pass  a  blacksmith’s  forge,  when  the  noise  of  the 
hammer  soothed  the  gnawing  at  his  brain.  (<Aha ! })  said  Titus,  <(I 
have  found  a  remedy  at  last ; )}  and  he  ordered  a  blacksmith  to  ham¬ 
mer  before  him.  To  a  Gentile  for  this  he  (for  a  time)  paid  four 
zuzim  a  day,  but  to  a  Jewish  blacksmith  he  paid  nothing,  remarking 
to  him,  <(It  is  payment  enough  to  thee  to  see  thy  enemy  suffering  so 
painfully. w  For  thirty  days  he  felt  relieved,  but  after,  no  amount  of 
hammering  in  the  least  relieved  him.  As  to  what  happened  after  his 
death,  we  have  this  testimony  from  Rabbi  Phineas,  the  son  of  Aruba  : 
(<  I  myself  was  among  the  Roman  magnates  when  an  inquest  wras 
held  upon  the  body  of  Titus,  and  on  opening  his  brain  they  found 
therein  a  gnat  as  big  as  a  swallow,  weighing  two  selasA  Others  say 
it  was  as  large  as  a  pigeon  a  year  old  and  weighed  two  litras.  Abaii 
says,  ((We  found  its  mouth  was  of  copper  and  its  claws  of  iron.** 
Titus  gave  instructions  that  after  his  death  his  body  should  be 
burned,  and  the  ashes  thereof  scattered  over  the  surface  of  the  seven 
seas,  that  the  God  of  the  Jews  might  not  find  him  and  bring  him  to 
judgment.^  ( Gittin ,  fol.  56,  col.  2.) 

“The  man  with  two  wives,  one  young  and  the  other 
old.”  Rav  Ami  and  Rav  Assi  were  in  social  converse  with 
Rabbi  Isaac  Naphcha,  when  one  of  them  said  to  him, 
“Tell  us,  sir,  some  pretty  legend,”  and  the  other  said, 
“Pra}'  explain  to  us  rather  some  nice  point  of  law.” 
When  he  began  the  legend  he  displeased  the  one,  and 
when  he  proceeded  to  explain  a  point  of  law,  he  offended 
the  other.  Whereupon  he  took  up  this  parable  in  illustra¬ 
tion  of  the  plight  in  which  their  obstinacy  placed  him. 
<(  I  am  like  the  man  with  the  two  wives,  the  one  young 
and  the  other  old.  The  young  one  plucked  out  all  his 
gray  hairs  (that  he  might  look  young),  and  the  old  wife 
pulled  out  all  his  black  hairs  (that  he  might  look  old)  ; 
and  so  between  the  one  and  the  other  he  became  bald.  So 
is  it  with  me  between  you.  However,  I’ve  something  nice 
for  both  of  you.  It  is  written  (Exod.  xxii.  6),  (If  a  fire 
break  out  and  catch  in  thorns,  so  that  the  stacks  of  corn, 
or  the  standing  corn,  or  the  field  be  consumed  therewith, 
he  that  kindled  the  fire  shall  surely  make  restoration. y 
The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  hath  said,  (I  must  both 
judge  myself  and  take  upon  myself  to  indemnify  the  evil 
of  the  conflagration  I  have  caused,  for  I  have  kindled  a 
fire  in  Zion,*  as  it  is  written  (Eament.  iv.  11),  ( He  hath 
kindled  a  fire  in  Zion,  and  hath  devoured  the  foundations 


20 


THE  TALMUD 


thereof.*  I  must  therefore  rebuild  her  with  fire,  as  it  is 
written  (Zech.  ii.  5),  (I  will  be  unto  her  a  wall  of  fire 
round  about,  and  will  be  the  glory  in  the  midst  of  her.  * J> 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  60,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Oshaia  asked,  <(  What  is  this  that  is  written, 
(Zech.  xi.  7),  (I  took  unto  me  two  staves;  the  one  I 
called  Amiable  and  the  other  Destroyer *  ? **  The  staff 
called  Amiable  represents  the  disciples  of  the  wise  in  the 
land  of  Israel,  who  were  friendly  one  toward  another  in 
their  debates  about  the  law.  The  staff  called  Destroyer 
represents  the  disciples  of  the  wise  of  Babylon,  who  in  the 
like  debates  were  fierce  tempered  and  not  friendly  toward 
one  another.  What  is  the  meaning  of  Babel  or  Babylon? 
Rabbi  Yochanan  says  it  means  (<  confused  in  the  Bible, 
confused  in  the  Mishna,  and  confused  in  the  Talmud. ® 
He  hath  set  me  in  dark  places,  as  they  that  be  dead  of 
old  ®  (Lam.  iii.  6).  Rabbi  Jeremiah  said  by  this  we  are  to 
understand  the  Babylonian  Talmud. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  24,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  say  these  three  hate  their  fellows  —  dogs,  cocks,  and 
conjurors ;  to  which  some  add,  among  others,  the  disciples  of  the  wise 
of  Babylon.  ( P'sachim ,  fol.  113,  col. 2.) 

On  his  return  from  Babylon  to  the  land  of  Israel,  Rabbi  Zira  fasted 
a  hundred  fasts,  during  which  he  prayed  that  he  might  be  enabled  to 
forget  the  Babylonian  Talmud.  ( Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  85,  col.  1.) 

Rabbi  Yochanan  and  Rabbi  Yonathan  traveled  one  day 
together ;  they  came  to  two  roads,  one  of  which  led  by 
the  door  of  a  place  devoted  to  the  worship  of  idols,  and  the 
other  by  a  place  of  ill  fame.  Upon  which  one  said  to  the 
other,  ((  Let  us  go  by  the  former,  because  our  inclination 
to  the  evil  that  waylays  us  there  is  already  extinguished. * 
<(  Nay,  rather,  ®  said  the  other,  <(  let  us  go  by  the  latter,  and 
curb  our  desires  ;  so  shall  we  receive  a  reward  in  recom¬ 
pense.  }>  In  this  resolution  they  went  on,  and  as  they  passed 
the  place  the  women  humbled  themselves  before  them  and 
withdrew  ashamed  into  their  chambers.  Then  Yochanan 
asked  the  other,  <(  How  didst  thou  know  that  this  would 
occur  to  us?*'  He  made  answer,  <(  From  what  is  written 
(in  Prov.  ii.  2),  c  Discretion  (in  the  law)  shall  preserve 
thee. 5  w  Avodah  Zarah,  fol.  17,  cols.  1,  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


21 


Given  two  dry  firebrands  and  one  piece  of  green  wood, 
the  dry  will  set  fire  to  the  green. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  93,  col.  1. 

With  two  dogs  they  caught  the  lion. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  95,  col.  1. 

Both  these  proverbs  express  the  same  idea,  that  a  minority,  be  it 
ever  so  strong,  must  give  way  to  a  majority. 

<(And  the  elders  of  Moab  and  the  elders  of  Midian  de¬ 
parted  together  })  (Numb.  xxii.  7).  Midian  and  Moab  were 
never  friendly  toward  each  other ;  they  were  like  two  dogs 
tending  a  flock,  always  at  variance.  When  the  wolf  came 
upon  the  one,  however,  the  other  thought,  <(  If  I  do  not 
help  my  neighbor  to-day,  the  wolf  may  come  upon  myself 
to-morrow ;  }>  therefore  the  two  dogs  leagued  together  and 
killed  the  wolf.  Hence,  says  Rabbi  Pappa,  the  popu¬ 
lar  saying,  <(  The  mouse  and  the  cat  are  combined  to  make 
a  feast  on  the  fat  of  the  unfortunate. }) 

Ibid.,  fol.  105,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Yochanan,  in  the  name  of  Yossi,  the  son  of  Zimra, 
asks,  (<  What  is  this  that  is  written  (Ps.  cxx.  3),  ( What 
shall  be  given  unto  thee,  or  what  shall  be  added  unto 
thee,  O  thou  false  tongue  )  ?  }>  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 
He  !  —  said  to  the  tongue,  (<  All  the  members  of  the  body 
are  erect,  thou  only  art  recumbent  ;  all  other  members  are 
without,  thou  art  within,  and  not  only  so,  for  I  have  sur¬ 
rounded  thee  with  two  walls,  one  of  bone  and  the  other  of 
flesh.  What  shall  be  given  to  thee,  or  what  shall  be  added 
unto  thee,  O  thou  false  tongue  ?  ®  Rabbi  Yochanan,  in  the 
name  of  Yossi,  says,  <(  He  who  slanders  is  an  atheist,  for  it 
is  written  (Ps.  xii.  4),  (  Who  have  said,  With  our  tongues 
will  wTe  prevail  ;  our  lips  are  with  us ;  who  is  lord  over 
us?  y  ”  Erchin ,  fol.  15,  col.  2. 

Here  are  a  few  sayings  from  the  Talmud  on  the  abuse  of  the  tongue. 

He  who  slanders,  he  who  receives  slander,  and  he  who 
bears  false  witness  against  his  neighbor,  deserve  to  be  cast 
to  the  dogs.  P’sachim ,  fol.  118,  col.  1. 

All  animals  will  one  day  remonstrate  with  the  serpent 
and  say,  (<  The  lion  treads  upon  his  prey  and  devours  it, 


22 


THE  TALMUD 


the  wolf  tears  and  eats  it,  but  thou,  what  profit  hast  thou 
in  biting?”  The  serpent  will  reply  (Eccl.  viii.  n),  <(  I  am 
no  worse  than  a  slanderer. ”  Tcianith,  fol.  8,  col.  i. 

Adonijah  was  deprived  of  life  for  no  other  reason  than 
that  he  was  given  to  quarreling.  It  is  lawful  to  slander 
one  so  evil  disposed  as  he  was.  Perek  Hashalom. 

God  wall  say  to  the  prince  of  hell,  <(  I  from  above  and 
thou  from  below  shall  judge  and  condemn  the  slanderer. ” 

Erchin,  fol.  15,  col.  2. 

The  third  tongue  (i.  e.,  slander)  hurts  three  parties:  the 
slanderer  himself,  the  receiver  of  slander,  and  the  person 
slandered.  Ibid. 

Four  classes  do  not  receive  the  presence  of  the  Shechi- 
nah  :  scorners,  liars,  flatterers,  and  slanderers. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  103,  col.  1. 

Where  are  we  told  that  when  two  sit  together  and  study 
the  law  the  Shechinah  is  with  them?  In  Mai.  iii.  16, 
where  it  is  written,  <(  They  that  feared  the  Lord  spake 
often  one  to  another,  and  the  Lord  hearkened  and  heard 
it.”  Berachoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  1. 

Why  did  Elijah  employ  two  invocations,  saying  twice 
over,  (<Hear  me!  hear  me!”  (1  Kings  xviii.  37.)  Elijah 
first  prayed  before  God,  (<  O  Lord,  King  of  the  universe, 
hear  me  !  ”  that  He  might  send  fire  down  from  heaven  and 
consume  all  that  was  upon  the  altar  ;  and  again  he  prayed, 
<(  Hear  me  !  ”  that  they  might  not  imagine  that  the  result 
was  a  matter  of  sorcery  ;  for  it  is  said,  (  Thou  hast  turned 
their  heart  back  again. )”  Berachoth ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

The  twofold  invocation  of  Elijah,  which  betokens  his  intense  ear¬ 
nestness,  anagrammatically  expressed,  is  echoed  in  the  words  of  the 
bystanders,  ((The  Lord  He  is  the  God,  the  Lord  He  is  the  God.” 

(<  I  dreamed,”  said  Bar  Kappara  one  day  to  Rabbi  (the 
Holy),  (( that  I  beheld  two  pigeons,  and  they  flew  away 
from  me.”  <(  Thy  dream  is  this,”  replied  Rabbi,  (<  thou  hast 
had  two  wives,  and  art  separated  from  them  both  without 
a  bill  of  divorcement.”  Ibid.,  fol.  56,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  teach  concerning  the  two  kidneys  in  man, 
that  one  counsels  him  to  do  good  and  the  other  to  do  evil ; 


THE  TALMUD  23 

and  it  appears  that  the  former  is  situated  on  the  right  side 
and  the  latter  on  the  left.  Hence  it  is  written  (Eccl.  x. 
2),  (<A  wise  man’s  heart  is  at  his  right  hand,  but  a  fool’s 
heart  is  at  his  left.”  Ibid.,  fol.  61,  col.  1. 

For  two  sins  the  common  people  perish  :  they  speak  of 

the  holy  ark  as  a  box  and  the  synagogue  as  a  resort  for 
the  ignorant  vulgar.  Shabbath ,  fol.  32,  col.  1. 

On  the  self-same  day  when  Jeroboam  introduced  the  two 
golden  calves,  the  one  into  Bethel  and  the  other  into  Dan, 
a  hut  was  erected  in  a  part  of  Italy  which  was  then  sub¬ 
ject  to  the  Greeks.  Ibid. ,  fol.  56,  col.  2. 

In  the  context  where  the  above  tradition  occurs,  which,  as  is  obvi¬ 
ous,  relates  to  the  founding  of  Rome,  we  meet  with  another  on  the 
same  subject  as  follows:  —  When  Solomon  married  the  daughter  of 
Pharaoh,  the  Angel  Gabriel  thrust  a  reed  into  the  sea,  stirring  up 
therewith  the  sand  and  mud  from  the  bottom.  This,  gradually  col¬ 
lecting,  first  shaped  itself  into  an  island  and  then  expanded  so  as  to 
unite  itself  with  the  continent.  And  thus  was  the  land  created  for 
the  erection  of  the  hut  which  should  one  day  swell  into  the  propor¬ 
tion  of  a  proud  imperial  city. 

If  Israel  kept  only  two  Sabbaths,  according  to  the  strict 
requirement  of  the  law,  they  would  be  freed  at  once  from 
their  compelled  dispersion  ;  for  it  is  written  (Isa.  lvi.  4,  7), 
<(Thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  the  eunuchs  that  keep  my 
Sabbaths,  Even  them  will  I  bring  to  my  holy  mountain.  ® 

Shabbath ,  fol.  118,  col.  2. 

Adam  had  two  faces;  for  it  is  said  (Ps.  cxxxix.  5), 
<(  Thou  hast  made  me  behind  and  before.  w 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

There  is  a  notion  among  the  Rabbis  that  Adam  was  possessed 
originally  of  a  bisexual  organization,  and  this  conclusion  they  draw 
from  Gen.  i.  27,  where  it  is  said,  <(  God  created  man  in  his  own  im¬ 
age  ;  male-female  created  He  them.0  These  two  natures,  it  was 
thought,  lay  side  by  side  ;  according  to  some,  the  male  on  the  right 
and  the  female  on  the  left ;  according  to  others,  back  to  back ; 
while  there  were  those  who  maintained  that  Adam  was  created  with 
a  tail,  and  that  it  was  from  this  appendage  Bve  was  fashioned. 
Other  Jewish  traditions  tell  us  that  Eve  was  made  from  <(the  thir¬ 
teenth  rib  of  the  right  side0  (Targ.  Jonath.),  and  that  <(she  was  not 
drawn  out  by  the  head,  lest  she  should  be  vain  ;  nor  by  the  eyes, 
lest  she  should  be  wanton  ;  nor  from  the  mouth,  lest  she  should  be 
given  to  garrulity  ;  nor  by  the  ears,  lest  she  should  be  an  eavesdropper  ; 


24 


THE  TALMUD 


nor  by  the  hands,  lest  she  should  be  intermeddling ;  nor  by  the 
feet,  lest  she  be  a  gadder ;  nor  by  the  heart,  for  fear  she  should  be 
jealous ;  but  she  was  taken  out  from  the  side.  Yet,  in  spite  of  all 
these  precautions,  she  had  all  the  faults  so  carefully  provided 
against.” 

If  in  time  of  national  calamity  a  man  withdraw  himself 
from  his  kindred  and  refuse  to  share  in  their  sorrow,  his 
two  guardian  angels  come  and  lay  their  hands  upon  his 
head  and  say,  (<This  man  has  isolated  himself  from  his 
country  in  the  day  of  its  need,  let  him  not  live  to  see  and 
enjoy  the  day  when  God  shall  restore  its  prosperity. 
When  the  community  is  in  trouble,  let  no  man  say,  <(  I 
will  go  home  and  eat  and  drink,  and  say,  Peace  be  unto 
thee,  oh  my  soul  ! (%uke  xii.  19)  ;  for  to  him  Scripture 
hath  solemnly  said  (Isa.  xxii.  13,  14),  (<  Surely  this  in¬ 
iquity  shall  not  be  purged  from  you  till  you  die.^ 

Taanith ,  fol.  11,  col.  1. 

An  infant  that  has  died  under  a  month  old  is  (to  be) 
carried  to  the  grave  in  the  arms  (not  in  a  coffin),  and 
buried  by  one  woman  and  two  men,  but  not  by  one  man 
and  two  women.  Moed  Katan ,  fol.  24,  col.  1. 

Both  Rashi  and  the  Tosephoth  allude  to  a  case  which  justifies  the 
rule  given  here,  where  a  woman  actually  carried  a  living  child  in  a 
coffin,  in  order  to  avoid  the  suspicion  of  an  assignation  she  had  made 
with  a  man,  who  set  out  to  join  her.  But  the  Tosephoth,  after  notic¬ 
ing  this  version  of  Rashi,  gives  another  more  to  the  point.  The  story 
in  the  Tosephoth  is  to  this  effect :  —  A  woman  was  once  weeping  and 
groaning  over  the  grave  of  her  husband,  and  not  very  far  away  was 
a  man  who  was  guarding  the  corpse  of  a  person  who  had  been  cruci¬ 
fied.  In  the  moment  of  mourning  an  affection  sprung  up  between 
the  two,  and  in  the  engrossment  of  it  the  corpse  which  the  man 
guarded  was  stolen.  He  was  in  great  trepidation  for  fear  of  the 
king’s  command.  The  woman  said,  « Don’t  be  afraid  ;  exhume  my 
husband,  and  hang  him  up  instead.”  This  was  accordingly  done. 
(See  Kiddushin,  fol.  80,  col.  2.) 

There  were  two  date  trees  in  the  Valley  of  Hinnom  from 
between  which  smoke  ascended,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  hell. 

Succah ,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

According  to  Jewish  tradition,  there  are  three  gates  to  Gehinnom, 
one  in  the  desert,  one  in  the  sea,  and  one  in  Jerusalem  :  In  the  des¬ 
ert,  as  it  is  written  (Numb.  xvi.  33),  (<They  went  down,  and  all  that 
belonged  to  them,  alive  into  hell.”  In  the  sea,  as  it  is  written  (Jonah 


THE  TALMUD 


25 


ii.  2),  <(Out  of  the  belly  of  hell  have  I  called, »  etc.  In  Jerusalem,  as  it 
is  written  (Isa.  xxxi.  9),  (<Thus  saith  the  Lord,  whose  fire  is  in  Zion, 
and  His  furnace  in  Jerusalem. w 

When  two  women  are  seen  sitting  on  opposite  sides  of  a 
cross  road  facing  each  other,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that 
they  are  up  to  witchcraft  and  contemplate  mischief.  What 
in  that  case  must  you  do  ?  Go  by  another  road,  if  there 
is  one,  and  if  not,  with  a  companion,  should  such  turn 
up,  passing  the  crones  arm-in-arm  with  him ;  but  should 
there  be  no  other  road  and  no  other  man,  then  walk 
straight  on  repeating  the  counter-charm,  as  you  pass 
them  — 

<(Agrath  is  to  Asia  gone, 

And  Blussia’s  killed  in  battle. }> 

P' sachim,  fol.  m,  col.  2. 

Agrath  and  Blussia  are  two  Amazons  well  known  to  those  familiar 
with  Rabbinic  demonology. 

(<If  Mordecai,  before  whom  thou  hast  began  to  fall,  be 
of  the  seed  of  the  Jews,  expect  not  to  prevail  against  him, 
but  thou  shalt  fall*  (Esth.  vi.  13).  Wherefore  these  two 
fallings?  They  told  Haman,  saying,  <(This  nation  is  likened 
to  the  dust,  and  is  also  likened  to  the  stars ;  when  they 
are  down,  they  are  down  even  to  the  dust,  but  when  they 
begin  to  rise,  they  rise  to  the  stars. }) 

Meggillah ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

If  any  two  disciples  of  the  wise,  dwelling  in  the  same 
city,  have  a  difference  respecting  the  Halachah,  let  them 
remember  what  Scripture  denounces  against  them,  <(And 
also  I  gave  them  statutes  that  are  not  good,  and  judg¬ 
ments  by  which  they  shall  not  live**  (Ezek.  xx.  25). 

Ibid. ,  fol.  32,  col.  1. 

If  a  man  espouse  one  of  two  sisters,  and  does  not  know 
which  he  has  espoused,  he  must  give  both  a  bill  of  divorce. 
If  two  men  espouse  two  sisters,  and  neither  of  them  know 
which  he  has  espoused,  then  each  man  must  give  two  bills  of 
divorce,  one  to  each  woman.  Yevavioth ,  fol.  23,  col.  2. 

There  is  a  time  coming  ( i .  e .,  in  the  days  of  the  Mes¬ 
siah),  when  a  grain  of  wheat  will  be  as  large  as  the  two  kid¬ 
neys  of  the  great  ox.  Kethuboth ,  fol.  111,  col.  1. 


26 


THE  TALMUD 


According  to  a  recent  discovery,  which  has  been  confirmed  by  sub¬ 
sequent  observation  and  experiment,  wheat  is  a  development  by  cul¬ 
tivation  of  the  tiny  grain  of  the  JEgilops  ovata ,  a  sort  of  grass  ;  but 
we  are  indebted  to  Rabbinic  lore  for  the  curious  information  that  be¬ 
fore  the  Fall  of  man  wheat  grew  upon  a  tree  whose  trunk  looked 
like  gold,  its  branches  like  silver,  and  its  leaves  like  so  many  em¬ 
eralds.  The  wheat  ears  themselves  %vere  as  red  as  rubies,  and  each 
bore  five  sparkling  grains  as  white  as  snow,  as  sweet  as  honey,  and 
as  fragrant  as  musk.  At  first  the  grains  were  as  big  as  an  ostrich’s 
egg,  but  in  the  time  of  Enoch  they  diminished  to  the  size  of  a  goose’s 
egg,  and  in  Elijah’s  to  that  of  a  hen,  while  at  the  commencement  of 
the  common  era,  they  shrank  so  small  as  not  to  be  larger  than  grapes, 
according  to  a  law  the  inverse  of  the  order  of  nature.  Rabbi  Yehudah 
{Sanhedrin ,  fol.  70,  col.  1)  says  that  wheat  was  the  forbidden  fruit. 
Hence  probably  the  degeneracy. 

Of  two  that  quarrel,  the  one  that  first  gives  in  shows  the 
nobler  nature.  Ibid.,  fol.  71,  col.  2. 

He  who  sets  aside  a  portion  of  his  wealth  for  the  relief 
of  the  poor  will  be  delivered  from  the  judgment  of  hell. 
Of  this  the  parable  of  the  two  sheep  that  attempted  to  ford 
a  river  is  an  illustration ;  one  was  shorn  of  its  wool  and 
the  other  not ;  the  former,  therefore,  managed  to  get  over, 
but  the  latter,  being  heavy-laden,  sank. 

Git  tin,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

Zoreah  and  Eshtaol  (Josh.  xv.  33)  were  two  large  moun¬ 
tains,  but  Samson  tore  them  up  and  grated  the  one  against 
the  other.  Soteh ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

The  above  tradition  is  founded  on  Judges  xiii.  25,  in  which  it 
is  said  of  Samson,  <(  And  the  spirit  of  God  began  to  move  him 
at  times  in  the  camp  of  Dan,  between  Zoreah  and  Eshtaol, ®  in 
which  the  word  (( move,^  signifies  also  to  (<  strike  a  stroke,®  <(  step 
a  step,®  and  <(  once.®  Founding  on  which  last  two  meanings,  Rabbi 
Yehudah  says,  <(  Samson  strode  in  one  stride  from  Zoreah  to 
Eshtaol,®  a  giant  stride  of  two  miles  or  more.  Taking  the  word  in 
the  sense  of  <(  strike,®  or  <(  producing  a  ringing  sound,®  another  Rabbi 
tells  us  that  the  hairs  of  Samson’s  head  stood  upright,  tinkling  one 
against  another  like  bells,  the  jingle  of  which  might  be  heard  from 
Zoreah  to  Eshtaol.  The  version  in  the  text  takes  the  same  word  in 
the  sense  of  to  «  strike  together.® 

On  the  day  when  Isaac  was  weaned,  Abraham  made  a 
great  feast,  to  which  he  invited  all  the  people  of  the  land. 
Not  all  of  those  who  came  to  enjoy  the  feast  believed  in 
the  alleged  occasion  of  its  celebration,  for  some  said  con- 


THE  TALMUD 


2  7 


temptuously,  <(  This  old  couple  have  adopted  a  foundling, 
and  provided  a  feast  to  persuade  us  to  believe  that  the 
child  is  their  own  offspring. w  What  did  Abraham  do?  He 
invited  all  the  great  men  of  the  day,  and  Sarah  invited 
their  wives,  who  brought  their  infants,  but  not  their 
nurses,  along  with  them.  On  this  occasion  Sarah’s  breasts 
became  like  two  fountains,  for  she  supplied,  of  her  own 
body,  nourishment  to  all  the  children.  Still  some  were  un¬ 
convinced,  and  said,  (<  Shall  a  child  be  born  to  one  that  is 
a  hundred  years  old,  and  shall  Sarah,  who  is  ninety  years 
old,  bear? 5)  (Gen.  xvii.  17.)  Whereupon,  to  silence  this 
objection,  Isaac’s  face  was  changed,  so  that  it  became  the 
very  picture  of  Abraham’s ;  then  one  and  all  exclaimed, 
<(  Abraham  begat  Isaac. 5)  Bara  Metzia ,  fol.  87,  col.  1. 

Rava  relates  the  following  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Yoch- 
anan  :  — <(  Two  Jewish  slaves  were  one  day  walking  along, 
when  their  master,  who  was  following,  overheard  the  one 
saying  to  the  other,  ( There  is  a  camel  ahead  of  us,  as  I 
judge  —  for  I  have  not  seen  —  that  is  blind  of  one  eye  and 
laden  with  two  skin-bottles,  one  of  which  contains  wrine 
and  the  other  oil,  while  two  drivers  attend  it,  one  of  them 
an  Israelite,  and  the  other  a  Gentile.5  ( You  perverse 
men,5  said  their  master,  ( how  can  you  fabricate  such  a 
story  as  that?5  The  slave  answered,  and  gave  this  as  his 
reason,  * The  grass  is  cropped  only  on  one  side  of  the 
track,  the  wine,  that  must  have  dripped,  has  soaked  into 
the  earth  on  the  right,  and  the  oil  has  trickled  down,  and 
may  be  seen  on  the  left ;  while  one  of  the  drivers  turned 
aside  from  the  track  to  ease  himself,  but  the  other  has  not 
even  left  the  road  for  the  purpose. 5  Upon  this  the  master 
stepped  on  before  them  in  order  to  verify  the  correctness 
of  their  inferences,  and  found  the  conclusion  true  in  every 
particular.  He  then  turned  back,  and  .  .  .  after  com¬ 

plimenting  the  two  slaves  for  their  shrewdness,  he  at  once 
gave  them  their  liberty.55  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  104,  col.  2. 

When  the  disciples  of  Shamai  and  Hillel  increased  in 
Israel,  contention  increased  along  with  them,  so  much  so, 
that  the  one  law  became  as  twTo  laws  (and  these  contra¬ 
dictory).  Soieh ,  fol.  47,  col.  2. 


28 


THE  TALMUD 


If  two  parties  deposit  money  with  a  third,  one  a  single 
manah  and  the  other  two  hundred,  and  both  afterwrard  ap¬ 
pear  and  claim  the  larger  sum,  the  depositary  should  give  each 
depositor  one  manah  only,  and  leave  the  rest  undivided  till 
the  coming  of  Elijah.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  37,  col.  2. 

<(Till  Elijah  comes  })  is  a  phrase  which  is  in  use  among  the  Jews 
to  express  postponement  forever,  like  ad  Kalendas  Greecas.  It  is 
applied  to  questions  that  would  take  Elijah  to  settle,  which,  it  is  be¬ 
lieved,  he  will  not  appear  to  do  till  doomsday. 

(<  And  I  will  make  thy  windows  of  agates  ®  (Isa.  liv.  12). 
Twto  of  the  angels  in  heaven,  Gabriel  and  Michael,  once 
disputed  about  this  :  one  maintained  that  the  stone  should 
be  an  onyx,  and  the  other  asserted  it  should  be  a  jasper  ; 
but  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  said  unto  them,  <(  Let 
it  be  as  both  say,  which,  in  Hebrew,  abbreviated,  is  an 
agate.  Bava  Bathra,  fol.  75,  cob  1. 

(<  The  horseleech  has  two  daughters,  crying,  Give  !  give  !  ® 
(Prov.  xxx.  15.)  Mar  Ukva  says,  <(  This  has  reference  to 
the  voice  of  two  daughters  crying  out  from  torture  in  hell, 
because  their  voice  is  heard  in  this  world  crying,  ( Give  ! 
give  !  *  — namely  —  heresy  and  officialism.  ® 

Avodah  Zarahy  fob  17,  cob  1. 

Rashi  says  heresy  here  refers  to  the  <(  heresy  of  James, w  or,  in  other 
words,  Christianity. 

Two  cemeteries  were  provided  by  the  judicial  authorities, 
one  for  beheaded  and  strangled  criminals,  and  the  other  for 
those  that  were  stoned  or  burned.  When  the  flesh  of  these 
was  consumed,  they  collected  the  bones  and  buried  them  in 
their  own  place,  after  which  the  relations  came  and  saluted 
the  judge  and  the  witnesses,  and  said,  (( We  owe  you  no 
grudge,  for  you  passed  a  just  judgment. ® 

Sa?ihedriny  fob  46,  cob  1. 

Alas  !  for  the  loss  which  the  wrorld  has  sustained  in  the 
degradation  of  the  helpful  serpent.  If  the  serpent  had  not 
been  degraded,  every  Israelite  would  have  been  attended  by 
two  of  kindly  disposition,  one  of  which  might  have  been  sent 
to  the  north,  and  the  other  to  the  south,  to  bring  for  its 
owner  precious  corals  and  costly  stones  and  pearls. 

Sanhedrin ,  fob  59,  cob  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


29 


Here  are  two  or  three  other  sayings  from  the  Talmud  relative  to 
the  serpent. 

Benjamin  the  son  of  Jacob,  Amram  the  father  of  Moses, 
and  Jesse  the  father  of  David  all  died,  not  because  of  their 
own  sin  (for  they  had  none,  says  Rashi),  but  because 
of  the  (original)  sin  committed  under  the  serpent’s  tempta¬ 
tion.  Shabbath ,  fol.  55,  col.  2. 

No  man  was  ever  injured  by  a  serpent  or  scorpion  in 
Jerusalem.  Yoma,  fol.  21,  col.  1. 

<(  And  dust  is  the  serpent’s  food })  (Isa.  lxv.  25).  Rav 
Ammi  says,  <(  To  the  serpent  no  delicacy  in  the  world  has 
any  other  flavor  than  that  of  dust  ;  )}  and  Rav  Assi  says, 
<(  No  delicacy  in  the  world  satisfies  him  like  dust.  ® 

Ibid.,  fol.  75,  col.  1. 

Two  negatives  or  two  affirmatives  are  as  good  as  an  oath. 

Shevuoth ,  fol.  36,  col.  1. 

Tike  two  pearls  were  the  twro  drops  of  holy  oil  that  were 
suspended  from  the  two  corners  of  the  beard  of  Aaron. 

Horayoth ,  fol.  12,  col.  1. 

For  two  to  sit  together  and  have  no  discourse  about  the 
law,  is  to  sit  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful;  as  it  is  said  (Ps. 
i.  1 ) ,  (<  And  sitteth  not  in  the  seat  of  the  scornful. 

Azjotk,  chap.  iii. 

When  two  are  seated  together  at  table,  the  younger  shall 
not  partake  before  the  elder,  otherwise  the  younger  shall 
be  justly  accounted  a  glutton.  Derech  Eretz ,  chap.  vii. 

Philemo  once  asked  Rabbi  (the  Holy),  <(  If  a  man  has 
two  heads,  on  which  is  he  to  put  the  phylactery  ?  ®  To 
which  Rabbi  replied,  ((  Either  get  up  and  be  off,  or  take  an 
anathema  ;  for  thou  art  making  fun  of  me.  * 

Menachoth ,  fol.  37,  col.  1. 

It  is  thus  Rav  Yoseph  taught  what  is  meant  when  it  is 
written  in  Isaiah  xii.  1,  (<  I  will  praise  Thee,  O  Eord,  be¬ 
cause  Thou  wast  angry  with  me  :  Thine  anger  will  depart 
and  Thou  wilt  comfort  me.®  <(  The  text  applies,”  he  says, 
<(  to  two  men  who  were  going  abroad  on  a  mercantile  enter¬ 
prise,  one  of  whom,  having  had  a  thorn  run  into  his  foot, 
had  to  forego  his  intended  journey,  and  began  in  consequence 


30 


THE  TALMUD 


to  utter  reproaches  and  blaspheme.  Having  afterward 
learned  that  the  ship  in  which  his  companion  had  sailed 
had  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  he  confessed  his  short¬ 
sightedness  and  praised  God  for  His  mercy. ° 

Niddah ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

The  night  is  divided  into  three  watches,  and  at  each  watch 
the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  sits  and  roars  like  a 
lion;  as  it  is  written  (Jer.  xxv.  30),  <(The  Lord  will  roar 
from  on  high,  .  .  .  roaring,  He  will  roar  over  his  habi¬ 

tation.  0  The  marks  by  which  this  division  of  the  night  is 
recognized  are  these  :  —  In  the  first  watch  the  ass  brays  ; 
in  the  second  the  dog  barks  ;  and  in  the  third  the  babe  is 
at  the  breast  and  the  wife  converses  with  her  husband. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  3,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  there  are  three  reasons  why 
a  person  should  not  enter  a  ruin:  —  1.  Because  he  may 
be  suspected  of  evil  intent  ;  2.  Because  the  walls  might 
tumble  upon  him  ;  3.  And  because  of  evil  spirits  that  fre¬ 
quent  such  places.  Ibid.,  fol.  3,  col.  1. 

He  who  three  times  a  day  repeats  David’s  psalm  of 

* 

praise  (Ps.  cxlv. )  may  be  sure  of  an  inheritance  in  the 
world  to  come.  Ibid.,  fol.  4,  col.  2. 

Three  precious  gifts  were  given  to  Israel,  but  none  of 
them  without  a  special  affliction  :  these  three  gifts  were  the 
law,  the  land  of  Israel,  and  the  world  to  come. 

Ibid.,  fol.  5,  col.  1. 

These  are  also  from  the  Talmud  anent  Israel  and  the  Israel¬ 
ites. 

All  Israelites  are  princes.  Shabbath,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

All  Israelites  are  holy.  Ibid.,  fol.  86,  col.  1. 

Happy  are  ye,  O  Israel  !  for  every  one  of  you,  from  the 
least  to  the  greatest,  is  a  great  philosopher.  ( Eiruvin ,  fol. 
53,  col.  1.)  The  Machzor  for  Pentecost  says,  Israelites  are 
as  (<  full  of  meritorious  works  as  a  pomegranate  is  full  of 
pips.0  See  also  Chaggigah ,  fol.  27,  col,  1. 

As  it  is  impossible  for  the  world  to  be  without  air,  so 
also  is  it  impossible  for  the  world  to  be  without  Israel. 

Taanith ,  fol.  3,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


3i 


If  the  ox  of  an  Israelite  bruise  the  ox  of  a  Gentile,  the 
Israelite  is  exempt  from  paying  damages ;  but  should  the 
ox  of  a  Gentile  bruise  the  ox  of  an  Israelite,  the  Gentile 
is  bound  to  recompense  him  in  full. 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  38,  col.  1. 

When  an  Israelite  and  a  Gentile  have  a  lawsuit  before 
thee,  if  thou  canst,  acquit  the  former  according  to  the  laws 
of  Israel,  and  tell  the  latter  such  is  our  law  ;  if  thou  canst 
get  him  off  in  accordance  with  Gentile  law,  do  so,  and  say  to 
the  plaintiff  such  is  your  law  ;  but  if  he  cannot  be  acquitted 
according  to  either  law,  then  bring  forward  adroit  pretexts 
and  secure  his  acquittal.  These  are  the  words  of  the  Rabbi 
Ishmael.  Rabbi  Akiva  says,  <(  No  false  pretext  should  be 
brought  forward,  because,  if  found  out,  the  name  of  God 
would  be  blasphemed  ;  but  if  there  be  no  fear  of  that,  then 
it  may  be  adduced. })  Ibid.,  fol.  113,  col.  1. 

If  one  find  lost  property  in  a  locality  where  the  majority 
are  Israelites,  he  is  bound  to  proclaim  it ;  but  he  is  not 
bound  to  do  so  if  the  majority  be  Gentiles. 

Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  24,  col.  1. 

(Prov.  xiv.  34),  <(  Almsgiving  exalteth  a  nation,  but 
benevolence  is  a  sin  to  nations.  ®  <(  Almsgiving  exalteth 

a  nation, )}  that  is  to  say,  the  nation  of  Israel;  as  it  is 
written  (2  Sam.  vii.  23),  (<  And  what  one  nation  in  the 
earth  is  like  thy  people,  even  like  Israel  ?>}  but  <(  benevo¬ 
lence  "  is  a  sin  to  nations,  that  is  to  say,  for  the  Gentiles 
to  exercise  charity  and  benevolence  is  sin. 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  10,  col.  2. 

If  a  Gentile  smite  an  Israelite,  he  is  guilty  of  death  ;  as 
it  is  written  (Exod.  ii.  12),  (<  And  he  looked  this  way  and 
that  way,  and  when  he  saw  there  was  no  man,  he  slew  the 
Egyptian. }>  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  58,  col.  2. 

All  Israelites  have  a  portion  in  the  world  to  come  ;  as  it 
is  written  (Isa.  lx.  21),  <(  And  thy  people  are  all  righteous  : 
they  shall  inherit  the  land.**  Ibid. ,  fol.  90,  col.  1. 

<(And  they  shall  fall  one  on  account  of  another  ®  (Lev. 
xxvi.  37), —  one  on  account  of  the  sins  of  another.  This 
teaches  us  that  all  Israel  are  surety  for  one  another. 

Shevuoth ,  fol.  39,  col.  1. 


32 


THE  TALMUD 


If  one  find  a  foundling  in  a  locality  where  the  majority 
are  Gentiles,  then  the  child  is  (to  be  reckoned)  a  Gentile  ; 
if  the  majority  be  Israelites,  it  is  to  be  considered  as  an 
Israelite  ;  and  so  also  it  is  to  be,  providing  the  numbers 
are  equal.  Machsheerin ,  chap.  2,  Mish.  7. 

<(  One  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  generation 
cometh,  but  the  earth  abideth  forever”  (Eccl.  i.  4).  One 
empire  cometh  and  another  passeth  away,  but  Israel  abideth 
forever.  Perek  Hashalom. 

The  world  was  created  only  for  Israel  :  none  are  called 
the  children  of  God  but  Israel ;  none  are  beloved  before 
God  but  Israel.  Gerim ,  chap.  1. 

The  Jew  that  has  no  wife  abideth  without  joy,  without  a 
blessing,  and  without  any  good.  Without  joy,  as  it  is 
written  (Deut.  xiv.  26),  (( And  thou  shalt  reject,  thou  and 
thy  household  ; ”  without  blessing,  as  it  is  written  (Ezek.  xliv. 
30),  <(  That  He  may  cause  a  blessing  to  rest  on  thy  house¬ 
hold  ; ”  without  any  good,  for  it  is  written  (Gen.  ii.  8), 
<(  It  is  not  good  that  man  should  be  alone. ” 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  62,  col.  2. 

The  Jew  that  has  no  wife  is  not  a  man  ;  for  it  is  written 
(Gen.  v.  2),  <(  Male  and  female  created  He  them  and  called 
their  name  man.”  To  which  Rabbi  Eleazar  adds,  <(So 
every  one  who  has  no  landed  property  is  no  man  ;  for  it  is 
written  (Ps.  cxv.  16),  (The  heaven,  even  the  heavens,  are 
the  Rord’s,  but  the  earth  (the  land,  that  is),  hath  He 
given  to  the  children  of  man.*” 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  63,  col.  1. 

Three  things  did  Moses  ask  of  God:  —  1.  He  asked  that 
the  Shechinah  might  rest  upon  Israel  ;  2.  That  the  Shechi- 
nah  might  rest  upon  none  but  Israel  ;  and  3.  That  God’s 
ways  might  be  made  known  unto  him  ;  and  all  these  re¬ 
quests  were  granted.  Berachoth,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

What  was  the  Shechinah  ?  Was  it  the  presence  of  a  Divine  per¬ 
son  or  only  of  a  Divine  power?  The  following  quotations  will  show 
what  is  the  teaching  of  the  Talmud  on  the  matter,  and  will  be  read 
with  interest  by  the  theologian,  whether  Jew  or  Christian. 

Where  do  we  learn  that  wrhen  ten  persons  pray  together  the  She¬ 
chinah  is  with  them?  In  Ps.  lxxxii.  1,  where  it  is  written,  <(  God 
standeth  in  the  congregation  of  the  mighty. »  And  where  do  we 


THE  TALMUD 


33 


learn  that  when  two  sit  together  and  study  the  law  the  Shechinah  is 
with  them?  In  Mai.  iii.  16,  where  it  is  written,  <(Then  they  that 
feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another,  and  the  Lord  hearkened 
and  heard  it.®  ( B&rachoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  i.) 

Where  do  we  learn  that  the  Shechinah  does  strengthen  the  sick? 
In  Ps.  xli.  3,  where  it  is  written,  <(The  Lord  will  strengthen  him  upon 
the  bed  of  languishing.®  ( Shabbath ,  fol.  12,  col.  2.) 

He  who  goes  from  the  Synagogue  to  the  lecture-room,  and  from 
the  lecture-room  back  to  the  Synagogue,  will  become  worthy  to  re¬ 
ceive  the  presence  of  the  Shechinah;  as  it  is  written  (Ps.  lxxxiv.  1), 
(<  They  go  from  strength  to  strength  ;  every  one  of  them  in  Zion  ap- 
peareth  before  God.®  ( Moed  Katan ,  fol.  29,  col.  1.) 

Rabbi  Yossi  says,  (<The  Shechinah  never  came  down  here  below, 
nor  did  Moses  and  Elijah  ever  ascend  on  high,  because  it  is  written 
(Ps.  cxv.  16),  (The  heaven,  even  the  heavens,  are  the  Lord’s,  but  the 
earth  hath  he  given  to  the  children  of  men.*  ®  ( Succah ,  fol.  5, 
col.  1.) 

Esther  <(  stood  in  the  inner  court  of  the  King’s  house  ®  (Esth.  v. 
1).  Rabbi  Levi  says,  <(When  she  reached  the  house  of  the  images 
the  Shechinah  departed  from  her.  Then  she  exclaimed,  (( My  God ! 
my  God!  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?®  (. Meggillah ,  fol.  15,  col.  2.) 

<(  But  ye  that  did  cleave  unto  the  Lord  your  God  are  alive  every 
one  of  you  this  day®  (Deut.  iv.  4).  Is  it  possible  to  cleave  to  the 
Shechinah?  Is  it  not  written  ( ibid, .,  verse  24),  <(  For  the  Lord  thy 
God  is  a  consuming  fire  ®  ?  The  reply  is  :  —  He  that  bestows  his 
daughter  in  marriage  on  a  disciple  of  the  wise  (that  is,  a  Rabbi),  or 
does  business  on  behalf  of  the  disciples  of  the  wise,  or  maintains 
them  from  his  property,  Scripture  accounts  it  as  if  he  did  cleave  to 
the  Shechinah.  (Kethuboih,  fol.  111,  col.  25.) 

He  who  is  angry  has  no  regard  even  for  the  Shechinah  ;  as  it  is 
written  (Ps.  x.  4),  (<The  wicked,  w’hen  his  anger  rises,  does  not  in¬ 
quire  after  God ;  God  is  not  in  all  his  thoughts.®  ( Nedarim ,  fol.  22, 
col.  2.) 

He  who  visits  the  sick  should  not  sit  upon  the  bed,  nor  even  upon 
a  stool  or  a  chair  beside  it,  but  he  should  wrap  his  mantle  round 
him  and  sit  upon  the  floor,  because  of  the  Shechinah  which  rests  at 
the  head  of  the  bed  of  the  invalid  ;  as  it  is  written  (Ps.  xli.  3),  <(The 
Lord  will  strengthen  him  upon  the  bed  of  languishing.®  (Ibid.,  fol. 
40,  col.  1.) 

When  Israel  went  up  out  of  the  Red  Sea,  both  the  babe  on  its 
mother’s  lap  and  the  suckling  at  the  breast  saw  the  Shechinah,  and 
said,  <(This  is  my  God,  and  I  will  prepare  Him  a  habitation  ;®  as  it 
is  written  (Ps.  viii.  2),  (<Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings 
thou  hast  ordained  strength.®  ( Soteh ,  fol.  30,  col.  2.) 

Where  do  we  read  that  the  Shechinah  is  present  everywhere?  In 
Zech.  ii.  3,  where  it  is  written,  <(  And  behold  the  angel  that  talked 
with  me  went  forth,  and  another  angel  went  out  to  meet  him.®  It  is 
not  said  went  out  after  him,  but  <(went  out  to  meet  him.®  From  this 
3 


34 


THE  TALMUD 


we  know  that  the  Shechinah  is  present  everywhere.  ( Bava  Bathray 

fol.  25,  col.  1.) 

Rabbi  Akiva  says,  <(  For  three  things  I  admire  the 
Medes :  —  1.  When  they  carve  meat,  they  do  it  on  the 
table;  2.  When  they  kiss,  they  only  do  so  upon  the  hand; 
3.  And  when  they  consult,  they  do  so  only  in  the  field.  0 

Beraclioth ,  fol.  8,  col.  2. 

The  stone  which  Og,  king  of  Bashan,  meant  to  throw 
upon  Israel  is  the  subject  of  a  tradition  delivered  on  Sinai. 
(<The  camp  of  Israel  I  see,-0  he  said,  <( extends  three  miles; 
I  shall  therefore  go  and  root  up  a  mountain  three  miles  in 
extent  and  throw  it  upon  them.-0  So  off  he  went,  and 
finding  such  a  mountain,  raised  it  on  his  head,  but  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  sent  an  army  of  ants  against 
him,  which  so  bored  the  mountain  over  his  head  that  it 
slipped  down  upon  his  shoulders,  from  which  he  could  not 
lift  it,  because  his  teeth,  protruding,  had  riveted  it  upon 
him.  This  explains  that  which  is  written  (Ps.  iii.  7), 
(<  Thou  hast  broken  the  teeth  of  the  ungodly  ;  0  where  read 
not  <(Thou  hast  broken,0  but  <(Thou  hast  ramified,0  that 
is,  <(  Thou  hast  caused  to  branch  out. 0  Moses  being  ten  ells 
in  height,  seized  an  axe  ten  ells  long,  and  springing  up  ten 
ells,  struck  a  blow  on  Og’s  ankle  and  killed  him. 

Ibid.,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

This  same  story  is  given  with  more  than  Talmudic  exaggeration  in 
the  Targum  of  Jonathan  ben  Uzziel,  while  the  author  of  the  Book  of 
Jasher  (chap,  lxv.,  verses  23,  24)  makes  the  camp  and  the  mountain 
forty  miles  in  extent.  The  giant  here  figures  in  antediluvian  tra¬ 
dition.  He  is  said  to  have  been  saved  at  the  Flood  by  laying  hold 
of  the  ark,  and  being  fed  day  by  day  through  a  hole  in  the  side  of 
the  ark  by  Noah  himself.  A  tradition  which  says  the  soles  of  his 
feet  were  forty  miles  long  at  once  explains  all  the  extraordinary  feats 
ascribed  to  him. 

Rav  Yehudah  used  to  say,  ®  Three  things  shorten  a 
man’s  days  and  years:  —  1.  Neglecting  to  read  the  law 
when  it  is  given  to  him  for  that  purpose  ;  seeing  it  is  written 
(Deut.  xxx.  20),  ( For  He  (who  gave  it)  is  thy  life  and 
the  length  of  thy  daysP  2.  Omitting  to  repeat  the  cus¬ 
tomary  benediction  over  a  cup  of  blessing  ;  for  it  is  written 
(Gen.  xii.  3),  (And  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  theeP 


THE  TALMUD 


35 


3.  And  the  assumption  of  a  Rabbinical  air ;  for  Rabbi  Chama 
bar  Chanena  says,  ( Joseph  died  before  any  of  his  brethren, 
because  he  domineered  over  them.*** 

Berachotli ,  fol.  55,  col.  1. 

The  first  of  these  refers  to  the  reading  of  the  law  in  public  wor¬ 
ship,  the  second  to  a  practice  after  meals  when  more  than  two  adult 
Jews  were  present,  and  the  third  to  the  dictatorial  air  often  assumed 
by  the  Rabbis. 

Three  things  proceed  by  pre-eminence  from  God  Him¬ 
self  :  —  Famine,  plenty,  and  a  wise  ruler.  Famine  (2  Kings 
viii.  2)  :  <(  The  Ford  hath  called  for  a  famine  ;  plenty 
(Kzek.  xxxvi.  29)  :  (<  I  will  call  for  corn  and  increase  it ; }> 
a  wise  ruler;  for  it  is  written  (Exod.  xxxi.  2),  (<  I  have 
called  by  name  Bezaleel.^  Rabbi  Yitzchak  says,  (<A  ruler 
is  not  to  be  appointed  unless  the  community  be  first  con¬ 
sulted.  God  first  consulted  Moses,  then  Moses  consulted 
the  nation  concerning  the  appointment  of  Bezaleel.^ 

Ibid.,  fol.  55,  col.  1. 

Three  dreams  come  to  pass :  —  That  which  is  dreamed 
in  the  morning  ;  that  which  is  also  dreamed  by  one’s 
neighbor ;  and  a  dream  which  is  interpreted  within  a 
dream ;  to  which  some  add,  one  that  is  dreamed  by  the 
same  person  twice;  as  it  is  written  (Gen.  xli.  32),  (<  And 
for  that  the  dream  was  doubled  unto  Pharaoh  twice.  ® 

Ibid.,  fol.  55,  col.  2. 

Three  things  tranquilize  the  mind  of  man :  —  Melody, 
scenery,  and  sweet  odor.  Three  things  develop  the  mind 
of  man: — A  fine  house,  a  handsome  wife,  and  elegant 
furniture.  Ibid.,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  there  are  three  sorts  of 
dropsy: — Thick,  resulting  from  sin;  bloated,  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  insufiicient  food  ;  and  thin,  due  to  sorcery. 

Shabbath,  fol.  33,  col.  1. 

These  three  grow  stronger  as  they  grow  older :  —  The 
fish,  the  serpent,  and  the  pig.  Ibid.,  fol.  77,  col.  2. 

It  were  better  to  cut  the  hands  off  than  to  touch  the 
eye,  or  the  nose,  or  the  mouth,  or  the  ear,  etc. ,  with  them 
without  having  first  washed  them.  Unwashed  hands  may 
cause  blindness,  deafness,  foulness  of  breath,  or  a  polypus. 


36 


THE  TALMUD 


It  is  taught  that  Rabbi  Nathan  has  said,  <(The  evil  spirit 
Bath  Chorin,  which  rests  upon  the  hands  at  night,  is  very 
strict ;  he  will  not  depart  till  water  is  poured  upon  the 
Bands  three  times  over. w  Ibid.,  fol.  109,  col.  1. 

The  great  importance  of  this  ceremonial  washing  of  the  hands  will 
■appear  from  the  following  anecdote,  which  we  quote  verbatim  from 
another  part  of  the  Talmud: — (<  It  happened  onoe,  as  the  Rabbis 
-teach,  that  Rabbi  Akiva  was  immured  in  a  prison,  and  Yehoshua 
Hagarsi  was  his  attendant.  One  day  the  gaoler  said  to  the  latter  as 
he  entered,  ( What  a  lot  of  water  thou  hast  brought  to-day  !  Dost 
Hhou  need  it  to  sap  the  walls  of  the  prison  ? >  So  saying,  he  seized 
the  vessel  and  poured  out  half  of  the  water.  When  Yehoshua  brought 
in  what  was  left  of  the  water  to  Rabbi  Akiva,  the  latter,  who  was 
weary  of  waiting,  for  he  was  faint  and  thirsty,  reproachfully  said  to 
him,  ( Yehoshua,  dost  thou  forget  that  I  am  old,  and  my  very  life 
depends  upon  thee  ? >  When  the  servant  related  what  had  happened, 
the  Rabbi  asked  for  the  water  to  wash  his  hands,  ( Why,  master/ 
said  Yehoshua,  < there’s  not  enough  for  thee  to  drink,  much  less  to 
cleanse  thy  hands  with.*  To  which  the  Rabbi  replied,  (What  am  I 
•to  do  ?  They  who  neglect  to  wash  their  hands  are  judged  worthy  of 
death  ;  ’tis  better  that  I  should  die  by  my  own  act  from  thirst  than 
act  against  the  rules  of  my  associates/  And  accordingly  it  is 
related  that  he  abstained  from  tasting  anything  till  they  brought  him 
water  to  wash  his  hands. **  ( Eiruvin ,  fol.  21,  col.  2.  See  also  Mai- 

mionides ,  Hilc.  Berach.,  vi.  19.) 

From  the  context  of  the  passage  just  quoted  we  cull  the  following, 
-which  proves  that  the  Talmud  itself  bases  the  precept  concerning  the 
washing  of  hands  on  oral  tradition  and  not  on  the  written  law :  — 
<(Rav  Yehudah  ascribes  this  saying  to  Shemuel,  that  when  Solomon 
gave  to  the  traditional  rules  that  regulated  the  washing  of  hands  and 
-other  ceremonial  rites  the  form  and  sanction  of  law,  a  Bath  Kol  came 
forth  and  said  (Prov.  xxiii.  15),  ( My  son,  if  thy  heart  be  wise,  my 
heart  shall  rejoice,  even  mine  ;  *  and  again  it  said  (Prov.  xxvii,  n), 
<My  son,  be  wise,  and  make  my  heart  glad,  that  I  may  answer  him 
that  reproacheth  me/®  (See  Prov.  xxx.  5,  6.) 

There  is  a  great  deal  in  the  Talmud  about  washing  the  hands,  in  addi¬ 
tion  to  what  is  said  in  the  treatise  Yadaim,  which  is  entirely  devoted 
to  the  subject.  But  this  topic  is  subordinate  to  another,  namely,  the 
alleged  inferiority  of  the  precepts  of  the  Bible  to  the  prescriptions  of 
the  Rabbis,  of  which  the  punctilious  rules  regulative  of  hand  washing 
form  only  a  small  fraction.  This  is  illustrated  by  an  anecdote  from  the 
Talmudic  leaflet  entitled  Callah,  respecting  Rabbi  Akiva,  whose  fame 
extends  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other.  (See  Yevamoth,  fol. 
s6,  col.  2). 

Once  upon  a  time,  as  the  Elders  were  sitting  together,  two  lads 
passed  by  them,  one  with  his  head  covered  and  the  other  bareheaded. 
Of  the  latter  boy  as  he  passed  Rabbi  Elazar  said,  <(He  is  a  Mamzer/) 


THE  TALMUD 


37 


and  Rabbi  Yehoshua,  <(He  is  a  Ben  Haniddah/*  but  Rabbi  Akiva  con¬ 
tended,  ((He  is  both  a  Mamzer  and  a  Ben  Haniddah/*  Upon  which 
the  Elders  said  to  Rabbi  Akiva,  <(  How  darest  thou  be  so  bold  as  dis¬ 
pute  the  assertion  of  thy  masters  ? }>  <(  Because  I  can  substantiate  what 
I  say,^  was  his  answer.  He  then  went  to  the  mother  of  the  lad,  and 
found  her  selling  pease  in  the  market  place.  <(  Daughter/*  said  he  to 
her,  <(  if  thou  wilt  answer  all  that  I  ask  of  thee,  I  will  ensure  thee  a 
portion  in  the  life  to  come.®  She  replied,  (<  Let  me  have  thy  oath  and 
I  will  do  so.**  Then  taking  the  oath  with  his  lips  but  nullifying  it  in 
his  heart,  he  asked  her,  <(  What  sort  of  a  son  is  thy  lad?**  She  re¬ 
plied,  <(  When  I  entered  my  bridal  chamber  I  was  a  Niddah,  and  con¬ 
sequently  my  husband  kept  away  from  me.®  Thus- it  was  found  out 
that  the  boy  was  a  Mamzer  and  a  Ben  Haniddah  ;  upon  which  the  sages 
exclaimed,  (<  Great  is  Rabbi  Akiva,  for  he  has  overcome  his  masters  ;  ** 
and  as  they  congratulated  him  they  said,  <(  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  who  hath  revealed  His  secret  unto  Akiva  the  son  of  Joseph/* 
Thus  did  the  Rabbi  forswear  himself,  and  thus  did  his  companions 
compliment  him  on  the  success  of  his  perjury ;  yet  the  Bible  says, 
<(Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain**  (Exod. 
xx.  7),  and  <(  Keep  thou  far  from  a  falsehood**  (Exod.  xxiii.  7). 

Here  is  a  companion  picture  from  Yoma,  fol.  84,  col.  1. — (<  Rabbi 
Yochanan  was  suffering  from  scurvy,  and  he  applied  to  a  Gentile 
woman,  who  prepared  a  remedy  for  the  fifth  and  then  the  sixth  day 
of  the  week.  ( But  what  shall  I  do  to-morrow  ? *  said  he  ;  ( I  must 
not  walk  so  far  on  the  Sabbath.*  (Thou  wilt  not  require  any  more/ 
she  answered.  (But  suppose  I  do/  he  replied.  (Take  an  oath/  she 
answered,  Ghat  thou  wilt  not  reveal  it,  and  I  will  tell  thee  how  to 
compound  the  remedy/  This  he  did  in  the  following  words:  ( By  the 
God  of  Israel,  I  swear  I  will  not  divulge  it/  Nevertheless,  when  he 
learned  the  secret,  he  went  and  revealed  it.  (But  was  not  that  pro¬ 
faning  the  name  of  God?>  asks  one.  ( No/  pleads  another  Rabbi, 
<  for,  as  he  told  her  afterward,  that  what  he  meant  was  that  he  would 
not  tell  it  to  the  God  of  Israel/  The  remedy  was  yeast,  water,  oil, 
and  salt.** 

The  anecdote  that  follows  is  from  Sanhedrin,  fol.  97,  col  1  :  — -  « In 
reference  to  the  remark  of  Ravina,  who  said,  ( I  used  to  think  that 
there  was  no  truth  in  the  world/  one  of  the  Rabbis,  Toviah  (or  Tav- 
yoomah,  as  some  say),  would  protest  and  say,  (If  all  the  riches  of  the 
world  were  offered  me,  I  would  not  tell  a  falsehood/  And  he  used 
to  clench  his  protestation  with  the  following  apologue:  (I  once  went 
to  a  place  called  Kushta,  where  the  people  never  swerve  from  the 
truth,  and  where  (as  a  reward  for  their  integrity)  they  do  not  die 
until  old  age  ;  and  there  I  married  and  settled  down,  and  had  two  sons, 
born  unto  me.  One  day  as  my  wife  was  sitting  and  combing  her 
hair,  a  woman  who  dwelt  close  by  came  to  the  door  and  asked  to* 
see  her.  Thinking  that  it  -was  a  breach  of  etiquette  (that  any  one 
should  see  her  at  her  toilet),  I  said  she  was  not  in.  Soon  after  this 
my  two  children  died,  and  the  people  came  to  inquire  into  the  cause 


38 


THE  TALMUD 


of  their  premature  decease.  When  I  told  them  of  my  evasive  reply 
to  the  woman,  they  asked  me  to  leave  the  town,  lest  by  my  miscon¬ 
duct  I  might  involve  the  whole  community  in  a  like  calamity,  and 
death  might  be  enticed  to  their  place. w 

Food  remains  for  three  days  in  the  stomach  of  the  dog, 
because  God  knew  that  his  food  would  be  scanty. 

Shabbath,  fol.  155,  col.  1. 

He  who  is  born  on  the  third  day  of  the  week  will  be 
rich  and  amorous.  Ibid.>  fol.  156,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Abba,  in  the  name  of  Shemuel,  says,  <(  The  schools 
of  Shammai  and  Hillel  were  at  variance  three  years,  the 
one  party  contending  and  saying,  ( The  Halacha  is  accord¬ 
ing  to  us ; y  and  the  other,  ( The  Halacha  is  according  to 
us.  y  Then  came  a  voice  from  the  Ford  and  said,  ( Both 
these  and  those  are  the  words  of  the  living  God,  but  yet 
the  Halacha  is  according  to  the  school  of  Hillel. >  What 
was  the  merit  of  the  school  of  Hillel  that  the  Halacha 
should  be  pronounced  to  be  according  to  it?  Its  disciples 
were  gentle  and  forbearing,  for  while  they"  $tood  by  their 
own  decisions,  they  also  stated  those  maintained  by  the 
school  of  Shammai,  and  often  even  mentioned  the  tenets  of 
the  school  of  Shammai  first  and  their  own  afterward.  This 
teaches  us  that  him  who  humbles  himself,  God  will  exalt ; 
and  him  who  exalts  himself,  God  will  abase.  Whoso  pur- 
sueth  greatness,  greatness  will  flee  from  him ;  and  whoso 
fleeth  from  greatness,  greatness  will  pursue  him.” 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

There  are  three  entrances  to  hell :  —  One  in  the  desert, 
one  in  the  sea,  and  one  in  Jerusalem. 

Ibid .,  fol.  19,  col.  1. 

These  three  will  never  see  hell :  —  He  who  is  purified  by 
poverty  ;  he  who  is  purged  by  a  painful  flux  ;  and  he  who 
is  harassed  by  importunate  creditors  ;  and  some  say,  he  also 
who  is  plagued  with  a  termagant  wife. 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  41,  col.  2. 

Three  effects  are  ascribed  to  Babylonian  broth  (which 
was  made  of  moldy  bread,  sour  milk,  and  salt):  —  It 
retards  the  action  of  the  heart,  it  affects  the  eyesight,  and 
emaciates  the  body.  P sachim,  fol.  42,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


39 


These  three  are  not  permitted  to  come  between  two  men, 
nor  is  a  man  allowed  to  pass  between  any  two  of  these 
three  :  —  A  dog,  a  palm  tree,  or  a  woman  ;  to  w7hich  some 
add  the  pig,  and  others  the  serpent  as  well. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  hi,  col.  i. 

One  part  of  this  regulation  is  rather  hard  and  should  surely  be 
abolished  ;  that,  viz,  which  ordains  a  woman  shall  not  come  between  two 
men  or  a  man  pass  between  two  women.  The  compiler  of  this  Mis¬ 
cellany  was  once  witness  to  a  case  which  illustrates  its  inconvenience : 
it  occurred  at  Tiberias.  A  pious  young  Jew  who  had  to  traverse  a 
narrow  road  to  pass  from  the  lake  to  the  town  was  kept  standing  for 
a  very  considerable  time  under  a  broiling  sun,  simply  because  two 
young  women,  to  tease  him,  guarded  the  entrance,  and  dared  him  to 
pass  between  them.  Of  course  he  dared  not  accept  the  challenge, 
otherwise  he  would  have  incurred  the  penalty  of  death,  according  to 
the  judgment  of  the  Talmud  ;  for  <(  Whosoever  transgresses  any  of  the 
words  of  the  Scribes  is  guilty  of  death. })  ( Eiruvin ,  fol.  21,  col.  2.) 

These  three  will  inherit  the  world  to  come  :  —  He  who 
dwells  in  the  land  of  Israel ;  he  who  brings  up  his  sons  to 
the  study  of  the  law ;  and  he  who  repeats  the  ritual  bless¬ 
ing  over  the  appointed  cup  of  wine  at  the  close  of  the 
Sabbath.  P' sachim ,  fol.  113,  col.  1. 

There  are  three  whom  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 
Himself  proclaims  virtuous :  —  The  unmarried  man  who 
lives  in  a  city  and  does  not  sin  ;  the  poor  man  who  restores 
a  lost  thing  which  he  has  found  to  its  owner  ;  and  the 
rich  man  who  pays  the  tithes  of  his  increase  unostenta¬ 
tiously.  Rav  Saphra  was  a  bachelor,  and  he  dwelt  in  a 
large  city.  A  disciple  of  the  wise  once  descanted  upon  the 
merits  of  a  celibate  life  in  the  presence  of  Rava  and  this 
Rav  Saphra,  and  the  face  of  the  latter  beamed  with  de¬ 
light.  Remarking  which,  Rava  said  to  him,  <(This  does 
not  refer  to  such  a  bachelor  as  thou  art,  but  to  such  as 
Rabbi  Chanena  and  Rabbi  Oshaia.^  They  were  single 
men,  who  followed  the  trade  of  shoemakers,  and  dwelt  in  a 
street  mostly  occupied  by  vteretrices ,  for  whom  they  made 
shoes  ;  but  when  they  fitted  these  on,  they  never  raised 
their  eyes  to  look  at  their  faces.  For  this  the  women  con¬ 
ceived  such  a  respect  for  them,  that  when  they  swore,  they 
swore  by  the  life  of  the  holy  Rabbis  of  the  land  of  Israel. 

P  sachim ,  fol.  113,  cols.  1,  2. 


40 


THE  TALMUD 


There  are  three  whom  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 
abhorreth  :  He  who  says  one  thing  but  thinks  another  ;  he 
who  might  bear  witness  in  favor  of  his  neighbor  but  re¬ 
frains  from  doing  so  ;  and  he  who,  having  seen  his  neigh¬ 
bor  act  disgracefully,  goes  and  appears  singly  as  a  witness 
against  him  (thus  only  condemning,  but  not  convicting, 
him,  as  the  law  requires  two  witnesses).  As,'  for  example, 
when  Toviah  transgressed  and  Zigud  appeared  against  him 
singly  before  Rav  Pappa,  and  Rav  Pappa  ordered  this  wit¬ 
ness  to  receive  forty  stripes  save  one  in  return.  (<  What  ! ” 
said  he,  (<  Toviah  has  sinned,  and  should  Zigud  be  flogged?” 
“Yes,”  replied  the  Rabbi,  “for  by  testifying  singly  against 
him  thou  bringest  him  only  into  bad  repute.”  (See  Deut. 
xix.  15.)  P sachim,  fol.  113,  col.  2. 

(<  Toviah  has  sinned  and  Zigud  is  flogged,^  has  long  been  a  prov¬ 
erb  among  Jews. 

There  are  three  whose  life  is  no  life: — The  sympathetic, 
the  irascible,  and  the  melancholy. 

P' sachim,  fol.  113,  col.  2. 

There  are  three  which  despise  their  fellows  :  —  Dogs, 
cocks,  and  sorcerers.  Some  say  strange  women  also,  and 
some  the  disciples  of  the  Babylonian  Rabbis.  Ibid. 

These  three  love  their  fellows: — Proselytes,  slaves,  and 
ravens.  Ibid. 

These  three  are  apt  to  strut :  —  Israel  among  the  nations, 
the  dog  among  animals,  the  cock  among  birds.  Some  say 
also  the  goat  among  small  cattle,  and  some  the  caper 
shrub  among  trees.  Ibid. ,  fol.  25,  col.  2. 

There  are  three  whose  life  is  no  life  :  —  He  who  lives  at 
another’s  table  ;  he  whose  wife  domineers  over  him  ;  and 
he  who  suffers  bodily  affliction.  Some  say  also  he  who  has 
only  a  single  shirt  in  his  wTardrobe.  Ibid .,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

Three  things  are  said  respecting  the  finger-nails:  —  He  who 
trims  his  nails  and  buries  the  parings  is  a  pious  man  ;  he 
who  burns  these  is  a  righteous  man  ;  but  he  who  throws  them 
away  is  a  wicked  man,  for  mischance  might  follow,  should 
a  female  step  over  them.  Moed  Katan,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

The  orthodox  Jews  in  Poland  are  to  this  day  careful  to  bury  away 
or  burn  their  nail  parings. 


THE  TALMUD 


4i 


Three  classes  appear  on  the  day  of  judgment: — The 
perfectly  righteous,  who  are  at  once  written  and  sealed  for 
eternal  life  ;  the  thoroughly  bad,  who  are  at  once  written 
and  sealed  for  hell;  as  it  is  written  (Dan.  xii.  2),  (<  And 
many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and 
everlasting  contempt ;  ”  and  those  in  the  intermediate  state, 
who  go  down  into  hell,  where  they  cry  and  howl  for  a 
time,  whence  they  ascend  again  ;  as  it  is  written  (Zech. 
xiii.  9),  <(  And  I  will  bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire, 
and  will  refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try  them 
as  gold  is  tried ;  they  shall  call  on  my  name,  and  I 
will  hear  them.”  It  is  of  them  Hannah  said  (1  Sam. 
ii.  6),  (<The  Lord  killeth  and  maketh  alive;  He  bringeth 
down  to  hell  and  bringeth  up.” 

Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

Our  Rabbis  have  taught  that  there  are  three  voices 
which  can  be  heard  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the 
other :  —  The  sound  emitted  from  the  sphere  of  the  sun ; 
the  hum  and  din  of  the  city  of  Rome  ;  and  the  voice  of 
anguish  uttered  by  the  soul  as  it  quits  the  body  ;  .  . 
but  our  Rabbis  prayed  that  the  soul  might  be  spared  this 
torture,  and  therefore  the  voice  of  its  terrors  has  not  since 
been  heard.  Yoma ,  fol.  20,  col.  2. 

In  three  particulars  is  benevolence  superior  to  almsgiving : 
—  Almsgiving  is  only  the  bestowment  of  money,  but 
benevolence  can  be  exercised  by  personal  service  as  well. 
Alms  can  be  given  only  to  the  poor,  but  benevolence  can 
be  shown  no  less  to  the  rich.  Alms  are  confined  to  the 
living,  but  benevolence  may  extend  to  both  the  dead  and 
the  living.  Succah ,  fol.  49,  col.  2. 

Three  marks  characterize  the  nation  of  Israel :  — They  are 
compassionate,  they  are  modest,  and  they  are  benevolent. 
Compassionate,  as  it  is  written  (Deut.  xiii.  18),  <(And 
show  thee  mercy,  and  have  compassion  upon  thee,  and 
multiply  thee.”  Modest,  as  it  is  written  (Exod.  xx.  20), 
(<  That  his  fear  may  be  before  your  faces.”  Benevolent,  as 
it  is  written  (Gen.  xviii.  19),  (<  For  I  know  him,”  etc. 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  79,  col.  1. 


42 


THE  TALMUD 


Dates  are  good  after  meals  in  the  morning  and  in  the 
evening,  but  hurtful  in  the  afternoon  ;  on  the  other  hand, 
at  noon  they  are  most  excellent,  and  an  antidote  to  these 
three  maladies:  —  Evil  thought,  constipation,  and  hemor¬ 
rhoids.  Kethuboth ,  fol.  io,  cob  2. 

Beware  of  these  three  things :  —  Do  not  sit  too  much, 
for  it  brings  on  hemorrhoids  ;  do  not  stand  too  much,  for 
it  is  bad  for  the  heart ;  do  not  walk  too  much,  for  it  is 
hurtful  to  the  eyes.  But  sit  a  third,  stand  a  third,  and 
walk  a  third.  Ibid. ,  fob  111,  cob  1. 

He  who  holds  his  household  in  terror  tempts  to  the  com¬ 
mission  of  three  sins :  —  Fornication,  murder,  and  Sabbath 
breaking.  Gittin ,  fob  6,  cob  2. 

Three  things  weaken  the  strength  of  man :  —  Fear, 
travel,  and  sin.  Fear,  as  it  is  written  (Ps.  xxxviii.  10), 
<(  My  heart  palpitates,  my  strength  faileth  me. ”  Travel,  as 
it  is  written  (Ps.  cii.  23),  <(  He  hath  weakened  my 

strength  in  the  way.”  .  .  .  Sin,  as  it  is  written  (Ps. 

xxxi.  10),  <(  My  strength  faileth  me,  because  of  my  in¬ 
iquity.”  Ibid. ,  fob  70,  col  2. 

Abraham  was  three  years  old  when  he  first  learned  to 
know  his  Creator;  as  it  is  said  (Gen.  xxvi.  5),  (<  Because 
Abraham  obeyed  my  voice.”  Nedarivi ,  fob  32,  cob  1. 

The  conclusion  arrived  at  here  is  founded  on  interpreting  the  He¬ 
brew  letters  of  the  word  rendered  (<  because )}  numerically,  in  which 
the  value  of  the  letters  gives  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
two  ;  so  that  the  sense  of  the  text  is,  <(  Abraham  obeyed  my  voice 
one  hundred  and  seventy-two  years.  Now  Abraham  died  when  he  was 
a  hundred  and  seventy-five,  therefore  he  must  have  been  only  three 
when  he  began  to  serve  the  Lord. 

As  Abraham  plays  so  important  a  part  both  in  the  history  and  the 
imagination  of  the  Jewish  race,  we  may  quote  here  a  score  or  so  of 
the  Talmudic  traditions  regarding  him.  The  traditions,  as  is  like, 
contributed  quite  as  much,  if  not  more,  to  give  character  to  his  de¬ 
scendants  as  his  actual  personality  and  that  spirit  of  faith  which  was 
the  central  fact  in  his  history.  Races  and  nations  often  draw  more 
inspiration  from  what  they  fancy  about  their  ancestry  and  early  his¬ 
tory  than  from  what  they  know ;  their  fables  therefore  are  often 
more  illuminative  than  the  facts. 

Abraham  was  Ethan  the  Ezrahite,  who  is  mentioned  in  Ps. 
lxxxvii.  1.  Bava  Bathra,  fob  15,  cob  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


43 


Abraham’s  mother  was  Amathlai,  the  daughter  of  Kar- 
nebo.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  91,  col.  1. 

Abraham  was  the  head  of  a  seminary  for  youth,  and 
kept  both  laws,  the  written  and  the  oral. 

Yoma,  fol.  28,  col.  2. 

Abraham  observed  the  whole  ceremonial  law,  even  before 
it  was  given  on  Sinai.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  82,  col.  1. 

From  the  day  Abraham  was  compelled  to  leave  the  idolatrous 
worship  and  country  of  his  fathers,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that 
his  tent  would  become  a  rendezvous  for  his  neighbors  who  shrunk 
like  himseif  from  the  abominations  around  them.  There,  from  his 
character,  by  which  he  recommended  himself  as  the  friend  of  God, 
he  might  very  naturally  be  looked  upon  as  a  religious  teacher,  and 
men  might  gather  together  to  learn  from  his  lips  or  profit  by  his  ex¬ 
ample.  Hence,  making  due  allowance  for  Eastern  hyperbole,  the 
statement  of  the  Book  of  Jasher  (chap.  xxvi.  verse  36)  is  not  unde¬ 
serving  of  credit,  where  it  is  said  that  (( Abraham  brought  all  the 
children  of  the  land  to  the  service  of  God,  and  he  taught  them  the 
ways  of  the  Lord.):>  The  same  remark  applies  to  what  is  said  in 
Targ.  Yerushalmi  (Gen.  xxi.),  that  Abraham’  guests  went  not  away 
until  <(  he  had  made  them  prosetytes,  and  had  taught  them  the  way 
everlasting. >}  His  son  Isaac,  says  the  Targ.  of  Ben  Uzziel,  went  to 
school  at  the  <(Beth  Medrasha  de  Shem  Rabba.^ 

Though  Abraham  kept  all  the  commandments,  he  was 
not  perfect  till  he  was  circumcised. 

Nedarim ,  fol.  31,  col.  2. 

In  whatever  sense  this  may  have  been  written,  and  whatever  the  inter¬ 
pretation  that  may  be  put  upon  it,  there  is  one  sense  in  which  it  is 
absolutely  and  eternally  true,  and  that  is,  that,  in  order  to  be  perfect,  a 
man’s  life  must  be  as  pronounced  on  the  negative  side  as  the  positive, 
in  its  denials  as  in  its  affirmations,  and  that  it  is  futile  to  attempt  to 
obey  God  unless  one  at  the  same  time  renounce  all  co-partnery  with 
the  devil.  Circumcision  is  the  symbol  of  this  renunciation,  and  it  is 
only  as  such  it  has  any  radical  spiritual  significance.  Till  he  was  cir¬ 
cumcised,  it  is  said,  God  did  not  speak  to  Abraham  in  Hebrew.  Not 
till  then  is  sacredness  of  speech,  any  more  than  sacredness  of  life, 
possible.  Doubtless  among  the  Jews  circumcision  was  the  symbol  of 
their  separation  from  the  ethnic  religions ;  and  hence  the  jealousy  with 
which  their  prophets  looked  upon  any  compromise  with  idolatry. 
Hatred  of  that,  utter  and  intense,  was  the  one  essential  negative  pole 
of  genuine  Judaism,  and  circumcision  was  its  sign  and  seal. 

Abraham  was  the  first  of  the  proselytes. 

Succahy  fol.  49,  col.  2. 


44 


THE  TALMUD 


Abraham  it  was  that  ordained  the  form  of  prayer  for 
morning  worship,  which  is  extant  to  this  very  day. 

Berachoth,  fol.  26,  col.  2. 

As  he  himself  was  pious,  so  were  his  very  camels,  for 
they  would  not  enter  into  a  place  where  there  were  idols ; 
as  it  is  written  (Gen.  xxiv.  31),  <(  I  have  prepared, i.  e ., 
removed  the  idols  from,  <(  the  house  and  room  for  the 
camels.  ®  Avoth  d’  Rabbi  Nathan ,  chap.  8. 

Abraham  had  a  daughter,  and  her  name  was  Bakol. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

Abraham  was  free  from  evil  passion. 

Bava  Baihra ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

He  was  also  free  from  the  Angel  of  Death. 

Ibid.,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

He  delivered  to  the  children  he  had  by  Keturah  a  secret 
name,  with  which  they  learned  to  practice  witchcraft  and 
do  the  works  of  the  devil.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  91,  col.  1. 

Though  great,  he  personally  waited  on  his  guests,  who 
had  the  appearance  of  Arabs  and  not  of  angels. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yehudah  says  Abraham  planted  an  ornamental  gar¬ 
den  with  all  kinds  of  choice  fruits  in  it,  and  Rabbi  Nehemiah 
says  he  erected  an  inn  for  travelers  in  order  to  make  known 
the  name  of  God  to  all  who  sojourned  in  it. 

Soteh,  fol.  10,  col.  1. 

Both  the  Targum  of  Ben  Uzziel  and  the  Yerushalmi  say  that  Abraham 
planted  a  paradise  at  Beersheba  for  the  entertainment  and  delectation  of 
his  guests;  and  in  Jasher  (chap,  xxvii.  verse  37)  it  is  said  that 
<(  Abraham  formed  a  grove  and  planted  a  vineyard  there,  and  had  al¬ 
ways  ready  in  his  tent  meat  and  drink  for  those  that  passed  through 
the  land,  so  that  they  might  satisfy  themselves  in  his  house. >} 

He  ranked  as  one  of  the  seven  shepherds  of  Israel 
(Micah  v.  5).  In  this  group  David  was  the  central  figure, 
with  Adam,  Seth,  and  Methusaleh  on  his  right  hand,  and 
Abraham,  Jacob,  and  Moses  on  his  left. 

Succah ,  fol.  52,  col.  2. 

The  coin  of  Jerusalem  had  the  impress  of  David  and 
Solomon  on  the  one  side,  and  the  holy  city  of  Jerusalem 
on  the  other.  But  the  impress  on  the  coin  of  our  father 


THE  TALMUD 


45 


Abraham  was  an  old  man  and  an  old  woman  on  one  side, 
and  a  young  man  and  a  damsel  on  the  other. 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  37,  col.  2. 

This,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  must  be  taken  in  some  symbolical  sense, 
for  coins  cannot  be  traced  back  to  a  date  so  early  as  this  ;  and  when 
Abraham  purchased  the  cave  to  bury  Sarah  in  from  the  sons  of  Heth, 
we  read  that  he  weighed  to  Ephron  the  silver. 

Ahraham  pleaded  with  God  on  the  behalf  of  Israel  and 
said,  (<  While  there  is  a  Temple  they  will  get  their  sins 
atoned  for,  but  when  there  shall  be  no  Temple,  what  will 
become  of  them?^  God,  in  answer  to  his  prayer,  assured 
him  that  He  had  prepared  a  prayer  for  them,  by  which,  as 
often  as  they  read  it,  He  would  be  propitiated  and  would 
pardon  all  their  sins.  Meggillah ,  fol.  31,  col.  2. 

He  was  punished  by  his  posterity  being  compelled  to 
serve  the  Egyptians  two  hundred  and  ten  years,  because  he 
had  pressed  the  Rabbis  under  his  tuition  into  military  serv¬ 
ice  in  the  expedition  he  had  undertaken  to  recover  Lot  from 
those  who  had  carried  him  off  captive  ;  for  it  is  written 
(Gen.  xiv.  14),  <(  He  armed  his  instructed. *  Samuel  says 
Abraham  was  punished  because  he  perversely  distrusted  the 
assurance  of  God  ;  as  it  is  written  (Gen.  xv.  8),  (<  Whereby 
shall  I  know  that  I  shall  inherit  it  ? 

Nedarim ,  fol.  31,  col.  2. 

Abraham  was  thrown  into  a  fiery  furnace  by  Nimrod, 
and  God  would  not  permit  Gabriel  to  rescue  him,  but  did 
so  Himself  ;  because  God  is  One  and  Abraham  was  one, 
therefore  it  behooved  the  One  to  rescue  the  one. 

P'sachim ,  fol.  118,  col.  1. 

The  fire  from  which  Abraham  is  here  said  to  be  delivered 
may  simply  refer  to  his  deliverance  by  the  hand  of  God  from 
Ur  of  the  Chaldees;  Ur  meaning  <( fire,**  and  being  the  name  of 
a  place  celebrated  for  fire  worship.  The  Midrash  (p.  20)  says, 
«  When  the  wicked  Nimrod  cast  Abraham  into  the  furnace,  Gabriel 
said,  <  Lord  of  the  universe  !  permit  me  to  deliver  this  holy  one  from 
the  fire  ! >  But  the  Lord  made  answer,  < I  am  the  One  Supreme  in 
my  w^orld,  and  he  is  supreme  in  his  ;  it  is  fitting  therefore  that  the 
Supreme  should  rescue  the  supreme.  >  ® 

Abraham  was  a  giant  of  giants  ;  his  height  was  as  that 
of  seventy-four  men  put  together.  His  food,  his  drink,  and 


46 


THE  TALMUD 


his  strength  were  in  the  proportion  of  seventy-four  men’s 
to  one  man’s.  He  built  an  iron  city  for  the  abode  of  his 
seventeen  children  by  Keturah,  the,  walls  of  which  were  so 
lofty  that  the  sun  never  penetrated  them  :  he  gave  them  a 
bowl  full  of  precious  stones,  the  brilliancy  of  which  sup¬ 
plied  them  with  light  in  the  absence  of  the  sun. 

Sophrim ,  chap.  21. 

Abraham  our  father  had  a  precious  stone  suspended  from 
his  neck,  and  every  sick  person  that  gazed  upon  it  was 
immediately  healed  of  his  disease.  But  when  Abraham  died, 
God  hung  up  the  stone  on  the  sphere  of  the  sun. 

Bava  Bathra ,  fob  16,  col.  2. 

Till  Abraham’s  time  there  was  no  such  thing  as  a  beard  ; 
but  as  many  mistook  Abraham  for  Isaac,  and  Isaac  for 
Abraham,  they  looked  so  exactly  alike,  Abraham  prayed  to 
God  for  a  beard  to  enable  people  to  distinguish  him  from  his 
son,  Isaac,  and  it  was  granted  him  ;  as  it  is  written  (Gen. 
xxiv.  1 ) ,  ((  And  to  Abraham  a  beard  came  when  he  was 
well  stricken  in  age.’*  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  107,  cob  2. 

Here  the  word  which  the  translators  of  the  English  version  render 
<(was  old,^  is  taken  in  another  of  its  cognate  meanings  as  a  beard.  The 
Midrash  is  a  trifle  more  modest  in  this  legendary  assertion.  There 
we  read,  <(  Before  Abraham  there  was  no  special  mark  of  old  age,**  and 
that  for  distinction’s  sake  <(  the  beard  was  made  to  turn  gray.)} 

When  he  died,  all  the  chiefs  of  the  nations  of  the  world 
stood  in  a  line  and  exclaimed,  <(  Alas  for  the  world  that  has 
lost  its  leader  !  Alas  for  the  ship  that  has  lost  its  helms¬ 
man  !  w  Bava  Bathra ,  fob  91,  cob  2. 

As  Rabbi  Banna  went  about  to  measure  and  to  mark  off 
the  outward  and  inward  dimensions  of  the  different  caves, 
when  he  came  to  the  cave  of  Machpelah  he  found  Eliezar, 
Abraham’s  servant,  at  the  entrance,  and  asked  him,  (<  What 
is  Abraham  doing  ?  )}  The  answer  he  received  was,  (<  He  is 
asleep  in  the  arms  of  Sarah. Ibid.,  fob  58,  cob  1. 

Abraham  being  greater  than  Moses,  for  while  the  latter  is  only- 
called  by  God  <(  Mv  Servant y>  (Mai.  iv.  4),  the  former  is  called  <(My 
Friend  w  (Isa.  xll  8) ,  we  devote  a  little  more  space  for  a  few  more 
extracts  from  other  Jewish  sources  than  the  Talmud,  in  order  to  make 
the  picture  they  supply  of  Abraham’s  character  a  little  more  com¬ 
plete. 


THE  TALMUD 


47 


Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Nuri  says:  —  <(The  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He  !  —  took  Shem  and  separated  him  to  be  a 
priest  to  Himself,  that  he  might  serve  before  Him.  He  also 
caused  His  Shechinah  to  rest  with  him,  and  called  his  name 
Melchizedek,  priest  of  the  Most  High  and  king  of  Salem. 
His  brother  Japheth  even  studied  the  law  in  his  school, 
until  Abraham  came  and  also  learned  the  law  in  the  school 
of  Shem,  where  God  Himself  instructed  Abraham,  so  that 
all  else  he  had  learned  from  the  lips  of  man  was  forgotten. 
Then  came  Abraham  and  prayed  to  God  that  His  Shechi¬ 
nah  might  ever  rest  in  the  house  of  Shem,  which  also  was 
promised  to  him;  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  cx.  4),  (  Thou  art  a 
priest  forever  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek. > 

Avodath  Hakkodesh ,  part  3,  chap.  20. 

Wherever  Jacob  resided  he  studied  the  law  as  his  fathers 
did.  How  is  this,  seeing  the  law  had  not  yet  been  given, 
it  is  nevertheless  written  of  Abraham  (Gen.  xxvi.  5), 
<(  And  he  kept  my  charge }>  ?  Whence  then  did  Abraham 
learn  the  law?  Rabbi  Shimon  says  his  reins  (literally  kid¬ 
neys)  were  made  like  two  water-jars,  from  which  the  law 
flowed  forth.  Where  do  we  learn  that  it  was  so?  From 
what  is  said  in  Ps.  xvi.  7,  <(  My  reins  also  instruct  me  in 
the  night  season.  ®  Bereshith  Rabba ,  chap.  95. 

The  masters  of  the  Kabbalah,  of  blessed  memory,  say 
that  Abraham’s  Rabbi,  i.  e.,  teacher,  was  the  angel  Zadkiel. 

Rabbi  Menachem' s  comment  on  the  Pent . ,  Kxod.  iii.  5. 

Adam’s  book,  which  contained  celestial  mysteries  and 
holy  wisdom,  came  down  as  an  heirloom  into  the  hands  of 
Abraham,  and  he  by  means  of  it  was  able  to  see  the  glory 
of  his  Ford.  Zohar  Parashah  Bereshith. 

Abraham  was  the  author  of  a  treatise  on  the  subject  of 
different  kinds  of  witchcraft  and  its  unholy  workings  and 
fruits,  as  also  of  the  Book  of  Creation,  through  holy 
names  (by  means  of  which,  namely,  anything  could  be 
created).  Nishmath  Chayim ,  chap.  29. 

The  whole  world  once  believed  that  the  souls  of  men 
were  perishable,  and  that  man  had  no  pre-eminence  above 
a  beast,  till  Abraham  came  and  preached  the  doctrine  of 
immortality  and  transmigration.  Ibid. ,  fol.  17 1,  col.  1. 


48 


THE  TALMUD 


A  good  son  delivers  his  father  from  the  punishment  of 
hell,  for  thus  we  find  that  Abraham  our  father  delivered 
Terah,  as  it  is  said  in  Gen.  xv.  15,  <(  And  thou  shalt  go 
to  thy  fathers  in  peace. ”  This  implies  that  God  had  com¬ 
municated  to  him  the  tidings  that  his  father  had  a  portion 
in  the  world  to  come  and  was  now  (<  in  peace ”  there. 

Pesikta  Zotarta ,  fol.  3,  col.  2. 

Before  Abraham  was  circumcised  God  spake  to  him  in 
the  Chaldee  language,  that  the  angels  should  not  under¬ 
stand  it.  (This  is  proved  from  Gen.  xv.  1.) 

Yalkut  Chadash ,  fol.  117. 

Rabbi  Levi  said  Abraham  sits  at  the  gate  of  hell  and 
does  not  permit  any  circumcised  Israelite  to  enter.  But  if  any 
appear  who  happen  to  have  sinned  unduly,  these  he  (by  an 
indescribable  contrivance)  causes  to  become  uncircumcised  and 
lets  pass  without  scruple  into  the  region  of  torment ;  and  this 
is  what  is  said  in  Ps.  lv.  20,  (<  He  hath  put  forth  his  hands 
against  such  as  be  at  peace  with  him  :  he  hath  broken  his 
covenant.”  Yalkut  Shimoni,  fol.  33,  col.  2,  sec.  18. 

Abraham  was  circumcised  on  the  Day  of  Atonement,  and 
God  looks  that  day  annually  on  the  blood  of  the  covenant 
of  our  father  Abraham’s  circumcision  as  atoning  for  all  our 
iniquities,  as  it  is  said  in  Lev.  xvi.  30,  (<  For  on  that  day 
shall  he  make  an  atonement  for  you,  to  cleanse  you  from 
all  your  sins.”  Yalkut  Chadash ,  fol.  12 1,  col.  1,  sec.  3. 

(<  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  Abram  was  come  into 
Egypt”  (Gen.  xii.  14).  And  where  was  Sarah?  He  con¬ 
fined  her  in  a  chest,  into  which  he  locked  her,  lest  any 
one  should  gaze  on  her  beauty.  When  he  came  to  the 
receipt  of  custom,  he  was  summoned  to  open  the  chest,  but 
declined,  and  offered  payment  of  the  duty.  The  officers 
said,  (<  Thou  carriest  garments ;  ”  and  he  offered  duty  for 
garments.  <(  Nay,  it  is  gold  thou  carriest ;  ”  and  he  offered 
the  impost  laid  on  gold.  Then  they  said,  <(  It  is  costly 
silks,  belike  pearls,  thou  concealest ;  ”  and  he  offered  the 
custom  on  such  articles.  At  length  the  Egyptian  officers 
insisted,  and  he  opened  the  box.  And  when  he  did  so,  all 
the  land  of  Egypt  was  illumined  by  her  beauty. 

Bereshith  Rabba ,  chap.  40. 


THE  TALMUD 


49 


The  question  may  naturally  be  asked  why  Abraham  hid 
his  -wife  from  the  gaze  of  others  first  then  and  not  before. 
The  reply  is  to  be  deduced  from  the  following  double  ren¬ 
dering  of  Gen.  xii.  1 1  :  — <(  Behold  now  I  know  that  thou 
art  a  fair  woman.”  As  if  to  say,  <(  Usually  people  lose 
their  good  looks  on  a  long  journey,  but  thou  art  as  beauti¬ 
ful  as  ever.”  The  second  explanation  is  this:  —  Abraham 
was  so  piously  modest  that  in  all  his  life  he  never  once 
looked  a  female  in  the  face,  his  own  wife  not  excepted. 
As  he  approached  Egypt  and  was  crossing  some  water,  he 
saw  in  it  the  reflection  of  her  face,  and  it  was  then  that 
he  exclaimed,  <(  Behold  now  I  know  that  thou  art  a  fair 
woman.”  As  the  Egyptians  are  swarthy,  Abraham  at  once 
perceived  the  magnitude  of  the  danger,  and  hence  his  pre¬ 
caution  to  hide  her  beauty  in  a  chest. 

Zeenah  Ureenah  (1877  *n  Russia),  fol.  28,  col.  1. 

When  Abraham  came  to  the  cave  of  Machpelah  to  bury 
Sarah,  Adam  and  Eve  rose  from  their  grave  and  protested 
against  his  committing  her  to  the  dust  in  that  receptacle, 
“For,”  said  they,  (<we  are  ever  ashamed  in  the  presence 
of  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  on  account  of  the  sin 
which  we  committed,  and  now  comest  thou  to  add  to  our 
shame  by  the  contrast  therewith  of  the  good  works  which 
ye  two  have  done.  ”  On  Abraham’s  assurance  that  he 
-would  intercede  with  God  on  their  behalf  that  they  should 
not  bear  the  shame  any  longer,  Adam  immediately  retired 
to  his  sepulchre,  but  Eve  being  still  unwilling  to  do  so, 
Abraham  took  her  by  the  hand  and  led  her  back  to  the 
side  of  Adam  ;  and  then  he  buried  Sarah. 

Yalkut  Chadash ,  fol.  14,  col.  3,  sec.  68. 

Abraham’s  father,  Terah,  was  both  an  idolater,  a  manu¬ 
facturer  of  idols,  and  a  dealer  in  them.  Once  -when  Terah 
had  some  engagement  elsewhere  he  left  his  son  Abraham 
to  attend  to  his  business.  When  a  customer  came  to  pur¬ 
chase  an  idol,  Abraham  asked  him,  “How  old  art  thou?” 
((Lo!  so  many  years,”  was  the  ready  reply.  (<What,”  ex¬ 
claimed  Abraham,  <(  is  it  possible  that  a  man  of  so  many 
years  should  desire  to  worship  a  thing  only  a  day  old  ?  ” 
The  customer,  being  ashamed  of  himself,  went  his  way  ; 

4 


5° 


THE  TALMUD 


and  so  did  all  other  customers,  who  underwent  a  similar 
inquisition.  Once  an  old  woman  brought  a  measure  of  fine 
flour  and  wished  to  present  it  us  an  offering  to  the  gods. 
This  so  enraged  Abraham  that  he  took  a  staff  and  broke 
all  the  images,  excepting  the  largest,  into  whose  hands  he 
fixed  the  staff.  When  his  father  came  and  questioned  him 
about  the  destruction  of  the  gods,  he  replied,  <(  An  old 
woman  placed  an  offering  of  flour  before  them,  which  im¬ 
mediately  set  them  all  by  the  ears,  for  every  one  was 
hungrier  than  another,  but  the  biggest  god  killed  all  the 
rest  with  this  staff  which  thou  now  seest  he  still  holds  in 
his  hands. Superstition,  especially  when  combined  with 
mercenary  motives,  knows  neither  reason  nor  human  affec¬ 
tion,  therefore  the  father  handed  over  his  son  Abraham  to 
the  inquisition  of  Nimrod,  who  threw  him  into  the  fiery  fur¬ 
nace,  as  recorded  elsewhere  in  this  Miscellany.  This  is  an 
historical  fact,  to  the  truth  of  which  the  whole  orthodox 
Jewish  world  will  bear  testimony,  and  is  solemnly  recorded 
in  Shalsheleth  Hakkabalah,  fol.  2,  col.  1. 

There  are  three  graces :  —  The  grace  of  a  place  in  the 
eyes  of  its  inhabitants  ;  the  grace  of  a  woman  in  the  eyes 
of  her  husband  ;  the  grace  of  a  purchase  in  the  eyes  of  the 
buyer.  Soteh ,  fol.  47,  col.  1. 

A  man  should  divide  his  capital  into  three  parts,  and 
invest  one- third  in  land,  employ  one-third  in  merchandise, 
and  reserve  one- third  in  ready  money. 

Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  42,  col.  1. 

All  who  go  down  to  hell  shall  come  up  again,  except 
these  three  :  —  He  who  commits  adultery  ;  he  who  shames 
another  in  public  ;  and  he  who  gives  another  a  bad  name. 

Ibid.,  fol.  58,  col.  2. 

These  three  complain,  but  no  one  sympathizes  with 
them  :  —  He  who  lends  money  without  witnesses ;  he  who 
buys  to  himself  a  master ;  and  he  who  is  lorded  over  by 
his  wife.  Ibid.,  fol.  75,  col.  2. 

There  are  three  things  on  which  the  world  stands :  — 
The  law,  the  temple  service,  and  benevolence. 

Avotk,  chap.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


5i 


If  three  eat  at  one  table  and  do  not  converse  together 
on  the  law  of  the  Lord,  it  is  as  if  they  ate  from  the  sacri¬ 
fices  for  the  dead ;  but  they,  on  the  contrary,  are  as  if 
they  partook  from  a  table  of  the  Lord’s  own  furnishing 
who,  while  they  sit  down  to  meat,  season  their  talk  with 
its  holy  precepts.  Avoth ,  chap.  3. 

There  are  three  crowns :  —  The  crown  of  the  law,  the 
crown  of  the  priesthood,  and  the  crown  of  royalty ;  but 
the  crown  of  a  good  name  surpasses  them  all. 

Ibid. ,  chap.  4. 

He  who  possesses  these  three  virtues  is  a  disciple  of 
Abraham  our  father,  and  he  who  possesses  the  three  contrary 
vices  is  a  son  of  Balaam  the  wicked.  The  disciples  of  our 
father  Abraham  have  a  kindly  eye,  a  lo)7al  spirit,  and  a 
lowly  mind.  The  disciples  of  Balaam  the  wicked  have  an 
evil  eye,  a  proud  spirit,  and  a  grasping  soul. 

Ibid.,  chap.  5. 

Three  things  are  said  respecting  the  children  of  men  :  — 
He  who  gives  alms  brings  a  blessing  on  himself ;  he  who 
lends  does  better ;  he  who  gives  away  half  of  what  he  hath 
to  spare  does  best  of  all. 

Avoth  d'Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  41. 

There  are  three  classes  of  disciples,  and  among  them 
three  grades  of  worth  :  —  He  ranks  first  who  asks  and  an¬ 
swers  when  asked  ;  he  who  asks  but  does  not  answer  ranks 
next ;  but  he  who  neither  asks  nor  answers  ranks  lowest 
of  all.  Ibid. 

Over  these  three  does  God  weep  every  day :  —  Over  him 
who  is  able  to  study  the  law  but  neglects  it ;  over  him 

who  studies  it  amid  difficulties  hard  to  overcome  ;  and  over 

the  ruler  who  behaves  arrogantly  toward  the  community  he 
should  protect.  Chaggigah ,  fol.  5,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  says  there  are  three  keys  in  the  hands 
of  the  Holy  One  !  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  which  He  never  in¬ 
trusts  to  the  disposal  of  a  messenger,  and  they  are  these : 
—  (1.)  The  key  of  rain,  (2.)  the  key  of  life,  and  (3.) 

the  key  of  reviving  the  dead.  The  key  of  rain,  for  it  is 

written  (Deut.  xxviii.  12),  (( The  Lord  shall  open  unto 
thee  His  good  treasure,  the  heaven  to  give  the  rain  unto  thy 


52 


THE  TALMUD 


land  in  season;”  the  key  of  life,  as  it  is  written  (Gen. 
xxx.  22),  <(  God  hearkened  unto  her,  and  opened  her 

womb ; ”  the  key  of  reviving  the  dead,  for  it  is  written 
(Ezek.  xxxvii.  13),  <(  When  I  have  opened  your  graves, 
and  brought  you  up  out  of  your  graves,  and  shall  put  my 
spirit  in  you,  and  ye  shall  live,”  etc. 

Taanith,  fol.  2,  cols.  1,  2. 

A  disciple  of  the  wise  who  makes  light  of  the  washing  of 
hands  is  contemptible ;  but  more  contemptible  is  he  who 
begins  to  eat  before  his  guest ;  more  contemptible  is  that 
guest  who  invites  another  guest  ;  and  still  more  contemptible 
is  he  who  begins  to  eat  before  a  disciple  of  the  wise;  but 
contemptible  before  all  these  three  put  together  is  that 
guest  which  troubles  another  guest. 

Derech  Eretz  Zuta ,  chap.  viii. 

A  roll  of  the  law  which  has  two  mistakes  to  a  column 
should  be  corrected ;  but  if  there  be  three,  it  should  be 
stowed  away  altogether.  Meyiachoth ,  fol.  29,  col.  2. 

The  wolf,  the  lion,  the  bear,  the  leopard,  the  panther, 
the  elephant,  and  the  sea-cat,  each  bear  three  years.  Ibid. 

Rav  Yehudah  says,  in  the  name  of  Rav,  <(The  butcher  is 
bound  to  have  three  knives  ;  one  to  slaughter  with,  one  for 
cutting  up  the  carcass,  and  one  to  cut  away  the  suet.  Suet 
being  as  unlawful  for  food  as  pork. 

Chullin ,  fol.  8,  col.  2. 

Three  classes  of  ministering  angels  raise  a  song  of  praise 
every  day.  One  class  says,  Holy  !  the  second  responds, 
Holy  !  and  the  third  continues,  Holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts  ! 
But  in  the  presence  of  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 
Israel  is  more  beloved  than  the  ministering  angels  ;  for 
Israel  reiterates  the  song  every  hour,  while  the  ministering 
angels  repeat  it  only  once  a  day,  some  say  once  a  week,  others 
once  a  month,  others  once  a  year,  others  once  in  seven 
years,  others  once  in  a  jubilee,  and  others  only  once  in 
eternity.  Again,  Israel  mentions  The  Name  after  two  words, 
as  it  is  said  (Deut.  vi.  4),  “Hear  Israel,  Yehovah,”  but 
the  ministering  angels  do  not  mention  The  Name  till  after 
three,  as  it  is  written  (Isa.  vi.  3),  <(  Holy  !  holy!  holy! 
Yehovah  Zebaoth.”  Moreover,  the  ministering  angels  do 


THE  TALMUD 


53 


not  take  up  the  song  above  till  Israel  has  started  it  below  ~ 
for  it  is  said  (Job  xxxviii.  7),  <(When  the  morning  stars- 
sang  together,  then  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy. 81 

Chullin ,  fol.  91,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught,  a  man  should  not  sell  to  his 
neighbor  shoes  made  from  the  hide  of  a  beast  that  has  died 
of  disease,  as  if  of  a  beast  that  had  been  slaughtered  in  the; 
shambles,  for  two  reasons  :  first,  because  he  imposes  om 
him  (for  the  skin  of  a  beast  that  dies  of  itself  is  not  so 
durable  as  the  hide  of  a  slaughtered  animal)  ;  second,  be¬ 
cause  there  is  danger  (for  the  beast  that  died  of  itself  might 
have  been  stung  by  a  serpent,  and  the  poison  remaining  in 
the  leather  might  prove  fatal  to  the  wearer  of  shoes 
made  of  that  leather).  A  man  should  not  send  his  neigh¬ 
bor  a  barrel  of  wine  with  oil  floating  upon  its  surface  ;  for 
it  happened  once  that  a  man  did  so,  and  the  recipient  went 
and  invited  his  friends  to  a  feast,  in  the  preparation  of 
which  oil  was  to  form  a  chief  ingredient  ;  but  when  the 
guests  assembled,  it  was  found  out  that  the  cask  contained 
wine,  and  not  oil  ;  and  because  the  host  had  nothing  else 
in  preparation  for  a  worthy  feast,  he  went  and  committed 
suicide.  Neither  should  guests  give  anything  from  what  is 
set  before  them  to  the  son  or  daughter  of  their  host,  unless 
the  host  himself  give  them  leave  to  do  so  ;  for  it  once  hap¬ 
pened  during  a  time  of  scarcity  that  a  man  invited  three 
of  his  friends  to  dine,  and  he  had  nothing  but  three  eggs 
to  place  before  them.  Meanwhile,  as  the  guests  were  seated 
at  the  board,  the  son  of  the  host  came  into  the  room,  and 
first  one  of  the  guests  gave  him  his  share,  and  then  the 
other  two  followed  his  example.  Shortly  afterward  the  host 
himself  came  in,  and  seeing  the  child  with  his  mouth  full 
and  both  hands,  he  knocked  him  down  to  the  ground,  so 
that  he  died  on  the  instant.  The  mother,  seeing  this,  went 
and  threw  herself  headlong,  from  the  housetop,  and  the 
father  followed  her  example.  Thus  Rabbi  Eliezar  ben 
Yacob  said,  <(  There  perished  in  this  affair  three  souls  of 
Israel. }>  Ibid.,  fol.  94,  col.  1. 

Once  the  Roman  Government  issued  a  decree  that  the 
Israelites  should  neither  observe  the  Sabbath  nor  circumcise 


54 


THE  TALMUD 


their  sons.  Thereupon  Reuben  the  son  of  Istrubli  trimmed 
Lis  hair  as  a  Gentile,  and  went  among  the  Roman  senators 
and  plied  them  with  wise  remonstrance.  <(  If  one,”  said  he, 
<(  has  an  enemy,  does  he  wish  him  to  be  poor  or  rich  ?  ”  <(  To 

be  poor,”  was  the  reply.  <(  Then,”  he  argued,  (<  won’t  he  be 
poorer  if  you  prohibit  him  from  working  on  the  Sabbath  ?  ” 
<(It  is  well  said,”  observed  the  senators  ;  and  they  at  once 
abolished  their  decree  respecting  the  Sabbath.  Again  he 
asked,  <(  If  one  has  an  enemy,  does  he  wish  him  to  be 
■weak  or  strong?”  (<  Why,  weak,  to  be  sure,”  was  the 
inevitable  answer.  <(Then,”  said  he,  <(  let  the  Jews  cir¬ 
cumcise  their  children,  then  will  they  be  weakened.”  <(The 
argument  is  good,”  said  they,  and  the  decree  against  cir- 
cumsion  was  rescinded.  Again  he  asked,  <(  If  one  has  an 
enemy,  does  he  wish  him  to  increase  or  decrease?”  <(To 
decrease,  of  course,”  said  they.  In  response  to  his  argu¬ 
ment  the  decree  against  catamenia  was  accordingly  abol¬ 
ished.  When,  however,  they  found  out  that  he  was  a  Jew, 
they  at  once  re-enacted  the  decrees  they  had  canceled. 
Upon  this  the  question  arose  who  should  go  to  Rome  and 
appeal  against  these  enactments.  It  was  resolved  that 
Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai,  who  was  reputed  experienced  in 
miracles,  should  go,  accompanied  by  Rabbi  Elazar,  the  son 
of  Rabbi  Yossi.  ...  As  they  journeyed  along,  the 
question  was  proposed  to  them,  <(  Whence  is  it  proved  that 
the  blood  of  a  reptile  is  unclean  ?  ”  Rabbi  Elazar  replied 
with  a  curl  of  the  lip,  and  quoted  Lev.  ii.  29.  (<  And  these 

shall  be  unclean  unto  you.”  Rabbi  Shimon  said  unto  him, 
<(By  the  curl  of  thy  lip  art  thou  recognizable  as  a  disciple 
of  the  wise  !  May  the  son  never  return  to  his  father  !  ” 
for  he  was  annoyed  that  he  should  presume  to  teach  a 
Halachah  in  his  presence,  and  then  and  there  he  condemned 
him  to  death.  (See  Berachoth ,  fol.  31,  col.  2.)  Thereupon 
Ben  Temalion  (an  evil  sprite  or  imp)  came,  and  greeting 
him,  said,  <(  Do  ye  wish  me  to  accompany  you?”  Rabbi 
Shimon  wept  and  said,  <(Alas  !  a  maid-servant  of  my  an¬ 
cestor  (Abraham)  was  assisted  by  three  angels,  and  I  have 
not  one  to  attend  me  !  However,  let  a  miracle  be  worked 
for  us  anyhow.”  Then  the  evil  spirit  entered  into  the 
Emperor’s  daughter,  and  when  the  Rabbi  was  called  in  to 


THE  TALMUD 


55 


cure  the  princess,  he  exorcised  the  spirit  by  saying,  (<  De¬ 
part,  Ben  Temalion  !  Ben  Temalion,  depart  ! 0  and  the  evil 
spirit  left  her.  By  way  of  reward  the  Rabbis  were  bidden 
to  ask  whatsoever  they  pleased,  and  admitted  into  the  im¬ 
perial  treasury  that  they  might  choose  what  seemed  good 
to  them.  Espying  there  the  edict  against  Israel,  they  chose 
it,  and  tore  it  to  pieces.  Meyilah ,  fol.  17,  col.  1,  2. 

At  the  time  when  the  high  priest  enters  to  worship, 
three  acolytes  take  hold  of  him,  one  by  the  right  hand  and 
another  by  the  left,  wrhile  the  third  lifts  the  gems  attached 
to  the  train  of  his  pontifical  vestment. 

Tamid ,  chap.  7  ;  Mishna ,  1. 

<(I  once,  when  a  grave-digger,0  says  Abba  Shaul,  as  the 
Rabbis  relate,  <(  chased  a  roe  which  had  entered  the  shin¬ 
bone  of  a  dead  man  ;  and  though  I  ran  three  miles  after 
it,  I  could  not  overtake  it,  nor  reach  the  end  of  the  bone. 
When  I  returned,  I  was  told  that  it  was  a  bone  of  Og, 
king  of  Basham-0  Niddah,  fol.  24,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  during  the  first  three 
months  (of  pregnancy)  the  child  lies  in  the  lower  part  (of 
the  uterus)  ;  during  the  next  three  it  occupies  the  middle 
part ;  and  during  the  last  three  it  is  in  the  upper  part ; 
and  that  when  the  time  of  parturition  comes,  it  turns  over 
first,  and  this  causes  the  birth-pains.  We  are  also  taught 
that  the  pains  caused  by  a  female  child  are  greater  than 
those  caused  by  a  male.  Rabbi  Elazar  said,  <(  What  Scrip¬ 
ture  is  there  for  this  ?  * When  I  was  made  in  secret  and 

curiously  wrought,  in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth )  (Ps. 
cxxxix.  15).  It  is  not  said,  (I  abode/  but,  (I  was  curi¬ 
ously  wrought/  Why  the  difference?  Why  are  the  pains 
caused  by  a  girl  greater  than  those  caused  by  a  boy  ?  0 

Ibid. ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  teach  there  are  three  that  have  a  share  in  a 
man  ;  God,  and  his  father  and  mother.  The  father’s  part 
consists  of  all  that  is  white  in  him  —  the  bones,  the 
veins,  the  nails,  the  brain,  and  the  white  of  the  eye.  The 
mother’s  part  consists  of  all  that  is  red  in  him  —  the  skin, 
the  flesh,  the  hair,  and  the  black  part  of  the  eye.  God’s 
part  consists  of  the  breath,  the  soul,  the  physiognomy, 


56 


THE  TALMUD 


sight  and  hearing,  speech,  motive  power,  knowledge,  un¬ 
derstanding,  and  wisdom.  And  when  the  time  comes  that 
the  man  should  depart  from  the  world,  God  takes  away 
His  part,  and  leaves  those  which  belong  to  the  father  and 
mother.  Rav  Pappa  says,  <(  This  is  the  meaning  of  the 
proverb,  ( Shake  off  the  salt  and  throw  the  flesh  to  the 
dogsP”  Niddah,  fol.  31.  col.  1. 

Rashi’s  explanatory  note  is  this :  <(  Shake  off  the  salt  from  the 
flesh  and  it  becomes  fit  only  for  dogs.  The  soul  is  the  salt  which 
preserves  the  body  ;  when  it  departs,  the  body  putrefies. 

Four  things  require  fortitude  in  the  observance  :  —  The 
law,  good  works,  prayer,  and  social  duties.  Respecting 
the  law  and  good  works  it  is  written  (Josh.  i.  7),  (<  Be 
thou  strong  and  firm,  that  thou  mayest  observe  to  do  all 
the  law ;  ”  in  which  the  word  (<  strong ”  refers  to  the  law, 
and  the  word  ((  firm ”  to  good  works.  Of  prayer  it  is  written, 
<(  Wait  on  the  Lord  ;  be  strong,  and  He  shall  make  thine 
heart  firm;  wait,  I  say,  upon  the  Lord ”  (Ps.  xxvii.  14). 
In  respect  to  social  duties  it  is  written  (2  Sam.  x.  2), 
<(  Be  strong,  and  let  us  strengthen  ourselves  for  our  people, 
and  for  the  cities  of  our  God.”  Berachoth ,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

There  are  four  signs  which  tell  tales :  —  Dropsy  is  a  sign 
of  sin ;  jaundice  is  a  sign  of  hatred  without  a  cause ; 
poverty  is  a  sign  of  pride  ;  and  quinsy  is  a  sign  of  slander. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  33,  col.  1. 

<(  Unto  Mamre,  unto  the  city  of  Arbah,”  i.e .,  four  (Gen. 
xxxv.  27).  Rabbi  Isaac  calls  it  the  city  of  four  couples, 
i.e.,  Adam  and  Eve,  Abraham  and  Sarah,  Isaac  and  Rebe- 

kah,  Jacob  and  Leah.  These  four  couples  being  buried  in 

Mamre,  it  was  therefore  called  <(the  city  of  four.” 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  53,  col.  1. 

The  sun  makes  four  quarterly  circuits.  In  April,  May, 
and  June,  i.e.,  Nisan,  Iyar,  and  Sivan,  his  circuit  is  be¬ 
tween  the  mountains,  in  order  to  dissolve  the  snow ;  in 

July,  August,  and  September,  i.  e.,  Tamuz,  Ab,  and  Ellul, 
his  circuit  is  over  the  habitable  parts  of  the  earth,  in  order 
to  ripen  the  fruits  ;  in  October,  November,  and  December, 
i.  e.,  Tishri,  Marcheshvan,  and  Kislev,  his  circuit  is  over 
the  seas,  to  evaporate  the  waters ;  in  January,  February, 


THE  TALMUD 


57 


and  March,  i.  e.,  Tebeth,  Shebat,  and  Adar,  his  circuit  is 
over  the  deserts,  in  order  to  protect  the  seed  sown  from 
being  scorched.  P  sachim,  fol.  94,  col.  2. 

Four  persons  are  intolerable  :  —  A  poor  man  who  is 
proud,  a  rich  man  who  is  a  liar,  an  old  man  who  is  incon¬ 
tinent,  and  a  warden  who  behaves  haughtily  to  a  commu¬ 
nity  for  whom  he  has  done  nothing.  To  these  some  add 
him  who  has  divorced  his  wife  once  or  twice  and  married 
her  again.  Ibid.,  fol.  113,  col.  2. 

Four  things  cancel  the  decrees  of  Heaven  :  — Alms,  prayer, 
change  of  name,  and  reformation  of  conduct.  Alms,  as  it 
is  written  (Prov.  x.  2),  <(But  alms  (more  correct^,  right¬ 
eousness)  delivereth  from  death.”  Prayer  as  it  is  written 
(Ps.  cvii.  6),  <(  Then  they  cried  unto  the  Lord  in  their 
trouble,  and  He  delivered  them  out  of  their  distresses.” 
Change  of  name,  as  it  is  said  (Gen.  xvii.  15,  16),  (<  As  for 
Sarai  thy  wife,  thou  shalt  not  call  her  name  Sarai,  but 
Sarah  shall  be  her  name.®  And  after  this  change  of  name 
it  is  written,  <(  And  I  will  bless  her,  and  give  thee  a  son  of 
her.”  Reformation  of  conduct,  as  it  is  written  (Jonah  iii. 
10),  And  God  saw  their  works,”  and  <(  God  repented  of 
the  evil,”  etc.  Some  say  also  change  of  residence  has  the 
effect  of  turning  back  the  decree  of  Heaven  (Gen.  xii.  1), 
<(  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Abram,  Get  thee  out  of  thy 
country ;  ”  and  then  it  is  said,  <(  I  will  make  of  thee  a 
great  nation.”  Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

Four  things  cause  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  :  —  When  a  chief 
magistrate  dies  and  is  not  mourned  over  with  the  due 
lamentation ;  when  a  betrothed  damsel  calls  for  help  and  no 
one  comes  to  the  rescue  ;  when  the  people  commit  the  sin 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  ;  and  when  brother  murders  brother. 

Succah,  fol.  29,  col.  1. 

Four  things  cause  an  eclipse  among  the  luminaries  of 
heaven :  The  writing  of  false  documents  ;  the  bearing  false 
witness ;  the  breeding  of  small  cattle,  such  as  sheep  and 
goats,  in  the  land  of  Israel  ;  and  the  cutting  down  of  fruit- 
trees.  Ibid.,  fol.  29,  col.  1. 

There  are  four  things  God  repents  of  having  created  :  — 
The  Captivity,  the  Chaldeans,  the  Ishmaelites,  and  the  evil 


58 


THE  TALMUD 


passion  in  man.  The  Captivity,  as  it  is  written  (Isa.  lii. 
5),  ((What  have  I  here,  saith  the  Lord,  that  my  people 
are  taken  away  for  nought?  })  etc.  The  Chaldeans,  as  it  is 
written  (Isa.  xxiii.  13),  ((  Behold  the  land  of  the  Chal¬ 
deans  :  this  people  was  not.^  The  Ishmaelites,  as  it  is 
written  (Job  xii.  6),  <(  The  tents  of  robbers  prosper,  and 
they  that  provoke  God  are  secure,  into  whose  hand  God 
bringeth  abundance. })  The  evil  passion,  as  it  is  written 
(Micah  iv.  6),  (<  And  whom  I  have  caused  to  be  evil.® 

Succah ,  fob  52,  col.  2. 

There  have  been  four  beautiful  women  in  the  world  :  — 
Sarah,  Abigail,  Rahab,  and  Ksther. 

Meggillah ,  fol.  15,  col.  1. 

Tosephoth  asks,  <(  Why  was  not  Eve  numbered  among  these 
beauties,  since  even  Sarah,  in  comparison  with  Eve,  was  an  an  ape 
compared  to  a  man  ?  ®  The  reply  is,  (<  Only  those  born  of  woman  are 
here  enumerated. ® 

In  fol.  13,  col.  1,  of  the  same  treatise  from  which  the  above  is 
quoted,  we  are  informed  by  Ben  Azai  that  Esther  was  like  the  myrtle- 
tree,  neither  tall  nor  short  statured,  but  middle-sized.  Rabbi  Yehos- 
hua  ben  Korcha  states  that  Esther’s  complexion  was  of  a  yellow  or 
gold  color. 

One  cup  of  wine  is  good  for  a  woman,  two  are  disgrace¬ 
ful,  three  demoralizing,  and  four  brutalizing. 

Kethuboth ,  fol.  65,  col.  1. 

He  who  traverses  so  much  as  four  ells  in  the  land  of 
Israel  is  sure  of  everlasting  life.  Ibid.,  fol.  hi,  col.  1. 

To  walk  even  four  ells  without  bowing  the  head  is  an 
offense  to  Heaven;  for  it  is  written  (Isa.  vi.  3),  <(The 
whole  earth  is  full  of  His  glory. }> 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

There  are  four  who  are  accounted  as  dead: — The  pau¬ 
per,  the  leper,  the  blind  man,  and  he  who  has  no  male 
children.  Nedarin ,  fol.  64,  col.  2. 

Four  things  mark  the  characters  of  men  :  —  He  who  says 
what  is  mine  is  mine,  and  wThat  is  thine  is  thine,  is,  ac¬ 
cording  to  some,  a  moderate  man,  but,  according  to  others, 
a  child  of  Sodom  ;  he  who  says  what  is  mine  is  thine,  and 
what  is  thine  is  mine,  is  an  ignorant  man ;  he  who  says 
what  is  mine  is  thine  and  what  is  thy  own  is  also  thine, 


THE  TALMUD 


59 


is  a  pious  man  ;  he  who  says  mine  and  thine  are  both  my 
own,  is  a  wicked  man.  Avoth ,  chap.  5,  sec.  16. 

There  are  four  kinds  of  men,  according  to  their  degrees 
of  passionateness :  —  He  who  is  easily  provoked  and  as 
readily  pacified,  and  who  loses  more  than  he  gains ;  he 
whom  it  is  difficult  to  rouse  and  as  difficult  to  appease, 
and  who  gains  more  than  he  loses ;  he  who  is  not  readily 
provoked,  but  easily  pacified,  who  is  a  pious  man ;  he  who 
is  easily  provoked  and  with  difficulty  appeased,  who  is  a 
wicked  man.  Ibid.,  chap.  5,  sec.  19. 

There  are  four  classes  of  men  who  give  alms,  and  they 
are  thus  distinguished :  —  He  who  is  willing  to  give,  but 
unwilling  that  others  should  do  so,  he  has  an  evil  eye  to¬ 
ward  others ;  he  who  wishes  others  to  give,  but  does  not 
do  so  himself,  he  has  an  evil  eye  toward  himself  ;  he  who 
gives,  and  induces  others  to  give,  he  is  pious ;  he  who 
gives  not,  nor  wishes  others  to  give  he  is  wicked. 

Avoth ,  chap  5,  sec.  19. 

There  are  four  marks  by  which  one  disciple  differs  from 
another  :  —  One  learns  and  does  not  teach,  one  teaches  and 
does  not  learn,  one  learns  and  teaches,  and  one  neither 
learns  nor  teaches.  Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  29. 

Four  things,  if  kept  in  view  and  gravely  pondered  over, 
deter  from  sin:  —  That  a  man  consider  whence  he  cometh, 
whither  he  goeth,  who  the  judge  will  be,  and  what  the 
future  will  bring  to  pass.  Derech  Eretz,  chap.  3. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  that  which  is  written  (Ps. 
lxxxvii  2),  ((The  Ford  loveth  the  gates  of  Zion  more  than 
all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob?  })  The  answer  is,  The  Ford 
loveth  the  gates  that  are  marked  with  the  Halachah  more 
than  the  synagogues  and  the  schools ;  and  this  agrees  with 
what  Rabbi  Cheeya  bar  Ami  has  said,  in  the  name  of 
Ulla,  that  since  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  nothing  else 
has  remained  to  God  in  His  world  but  four  ells  of  the 
Halachah.  Berachoth ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

Whoso  walks  even  four  ells  with  a  proud  unbending 
gait  is  as  though  he  spurned  with  his  haughty  head  the 
feet  of  the  Shechinah ;  for  it  is  written  (Isa.  vi.  3),  <(  The 
whole  earth  is  full  of  His  glory. w  Ibid.,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 


6o 


THE  TALMUD 


Four  are  in  duty  bound  to  return  thanks  to  God :  — - 
They  that  have  returned  from  "a  voyage  at  sea  (Ps.  cvii. 
23,  24,  31)  ;  those  who  have  traveled  in  the  desert  (verses 
4-8)  ;  they  who  have  recovered  from  a  serious  illness 
(verses  17-21)  ;  and  those  that  are  liberated  from  prison 
(verses  10-15).  Berachotli ,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

If  one  does  not  walk,  say  four  cubits,  before  falling 
asleep  after  a  meal,  that  which  he  has  eaten,  being  undi- 
gestible,  causes  foulness  of  breath. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  41,  col.  1. 

Four  have  died  in  consequence  of  the  seduction  of  the 
serpent:  —  Benjamin,  the  son  of  Jacob;  Amram,  the  father 
of  Moses ;  Jesse,  the  father  of  David ;  and  Chileab,  the  son 
of  David.  Ibid. ,  fol.  55,  col.  2. 

These  four  are  reckoned  to  have  died  on  account  of  original  sin, 
and  not  solely  because  of  actual  transgression,  which,  says  Rashi,  they 
never  committed. 

The  traveler  who  is  overtaken  with  the  approach  of 
Sabbath-eve  before  he  has  completed  his  journey  should 
hand  over  his  purse  to  a  Gentile  to  carry  ;  and  if  there  be 
no  Gentile  at  hand,  let  him  stow  it  away  on  his  ass.  As 
soon  as  the  nearest  halting-place  is  reached,  those  burdens 
which  may  be  lifted  on  the  Sabbath  should  then  be  re¬ 
moved,  and  then  the  cords  should  be  slackened  that  the 
rest  may  slip  off  of  its  own  accord.  Ibid.,  fol.  153,  col.  1. 

Here  the  Gemara  very  graciously  appends  a  direction  as  to  the  dis¬ 
posal  of  the  purse,  in  case  the  traveler  should  happen  to  be  on  foot 
and  have  no  Gentile  attendant.  He  may  take  care  of  it  himself,  pro¬ 
vided  he  halt  at  every  other  step  and  deposit  it  on  the  ground,  for 
at  least  a  distance  of  four  cubits. 

A  master  is  bound  to  rehearse  a  lesson  to  his  pupil  four 
times.  Eiruvin ,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

Alas  for  the  power  which  prepares  a  grave  for  its  pos¬ 
sessor,  for  there  is  not  a  prophet  who  hath  not  in  his  life¬ 
time  witnessed  the  decadence  of  four  kings  ;  as  it  is  said 
(Isa.  i.  1),  <(The  vision  of  Isaiah  ...  in  the  days  of 
Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  and  Hezek.iah,  kings  of  Judah  }) 
(see  also  Hosea  i.  1).  P' sachim ,  fol.  87,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


61 


Once  Rav  Pappa  and  Rav  Hunnah  partook  together  of  a 
common  meal,  and  as  the  latter  ate  only  one  morsel  the 
former  ate  four.  After  this,  when  Rav  Hunnah  and  Ravina 
ate  together,  the  latter  devoured  eight  portions  to  the  other’s 
one,  upon  which  Rav  Hunnah  jocularly  remarked,  <(A  hundred 
(Rav)  Pappas  to  one  Ravina. ®  P sachim,  fol.  89,  col.  2. 

No  food  may  be  eaten  on  Passover-eve  from  the  time  of 
the  offering  of  the  evening  sacrifice  (in  order,  i.  e. ,  that 
abstinence  may  whet  the  appetite  for  the  Matsoth).  Bven 
the  poorest  in  Israel  may  not  break  his  fast  till  the  hour 
of  reclining ;  nor  is  he  to  partake  of  less  than  four  glasses 
of  wine,  even  though  he  has  been  reduced  so  low  as  to 
subsist  on  the  porridge  doled  out  by  public  charity. 

Ibid . ,  fol.  99,  col.  2. 

There  are  four  things  the  doing  of  which  by  man  brings 
judgment  upon  his  own  head: — If  he  turn  in  between  a 
wall  and  a  date-palm ;  if  he  turn  in  between  two  date- 
palms  ;  if  he  drink  borrowed  water ;  and  if  he  step  across 
spilt  water,  such  even  as  his  own  wife  may  have  thrown 
away.  (All  these  doings,  says  Rashi,  are  bound  to  annoy 
the  evil  genii.)  Ibid.,  fol.  hi,  col.  1. 

Four  precepts  did  our  holy  Rabbi  (Yehudah  Hakadosh) 
urge  upon  his  children  :  —  Not  to  choose  Shechentzia  as  a 
dwelling-place,  for  scoffers  resided  there ;  not  to  use  the 
bed  cf  a  Syrian  odalisque ;  not  to  shirk  the  payment  of 
fiscal  dues,  lest  the  collector  should  confiscate  all  their 
property;  not  to  face  an  ox  when  he  came  up  (ruffled) 
from  the  cane-brake,  for  Satan  sported  betwixt  his  horns. 

P' sachim,  fol.  112,  col.  2. 

Whosoever  prieth  into  the  four  things  in  the  matter  of 
the  chariot  in  Ezekiel’s  vision  —  what  is  above,  what  is  be¬ 
neath,  what  is  before,  or  what  is  behind  —  it  were  better 
for  him  if  he  had  never  been  born. 

Chaggigah ,  fol.  11,  col.  2. 

The  work  or  matter  of  the  chariot,  the  Rabbinic  term  for  the 
Vision  of  Ezekiel,  ranks  among  the  Arcana  Judaica,  which  are  not  to 
be  told  save  to  the  initiated. 

Four  men  entered  Paradise — these  are  their  names:  — 
Ben  Azai,  Ben  Zoma,  Acher,  and  Rabbi  Akiva.  Rabbi 


62 


THE  TALMUD 


Akiva  thus  warned  his  companions  :  <(  When  you  come 
across  pavements  of  pellucid  marble,  do  not  cry  out  (  Water  ! 
water  ! y  for  it  is  said  (Ps.  ci.  7),  (He  that  uttereth  false¬ 
hood  shall  not  dwell  in  my  sight. *  ®  Ben  Azai  looked  and 
died;  concerning  him  the  Scripture  says  (Ps.  cxvi.  15), 
<(  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his 
saints. ®  Ben  Zoma  looked  and  went  out  of  his  mind;  of 
him  the  Scripture  says  (Prov.  xxv.  16),  <(  Hast  thou  found 
honey?  eat  only  so  much  as  is  sufficient  for  thee,  lest  thou 
be  filled  therewith  and  vomit  it.®  Acher  cut  the  plants. 
Only  Akiva  departed  in  peace.  Chaggigah ,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 

Rashi  explains  this  by  saying  these  men  went  up  to  heaven  ;  but  Mai- 
nionides  much  more  rationally  teaches  that  the  Paradise  or  garden 
here  is  merely  the  retreat  of  profound  philosophic  meditation.  These 
five  intuitions  were  ;  —  (1.)  To  know  that  there  is  a  God  ;  (2.)  to  ig¬ 
nore  every  other  beside  Him;  (3.)  to  feel  His  unity;  (4.)  to  love  His 
person  ;  and  (5.)  to  stand  in  awe  of  His  Majesty  (see  Yad  Hachaz, 
chap.  4,  sec.  19).  Deep  thought  in  these  matters  was  spoken  of  by 
the  Rabbis  as  promenading  in  the  garden. 

Four  times  a  year  is  the  world  subject  to  an  ordeal  of 
judgment:  —  At  Passover,  which  is  decisive  of  the  fruits  of 
the  field  ;  at  Pentecost,  which  is  decisive  of  the  fruits  of  the 
garden ;  at  the  feast  of  Tabernacles,  which  is  decisive  in 
respect  of  rain  ;  on  New  Year’s  Day,  when  all  who  come 
into  the  world  pass  before  the  Lord  like  sheep,  as  it  is  said 
(Ps.  xxxiii.  15),  <(  Who  formed  their  hearts  together;  who 
understandeth  all  their  works.® 

Rosk  Hashanah ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

There  are  four  varieties  of  cedar: — Erez,  Karthom,  Etz- 
Shemen,  and  Berosh.  Ibid. ,  fol.  23,  col.  1. 

Ben  Kamzar  would  not  teach  the  art  of  writing,  and  yet 
it  is  related  of  him  that  he  could,  by  taking  four  pens  be¬ 
tween  his  fingers,  write  off  a  word  of  four  letters  at  one 
stroke.  Yoma ,  fol.  38,  col.  2. 

There  are  four  kinds  of  quails: — Sichli,  Kibli,  Pisyoni, 
and  the  common  quail.  The  first  was  of  superior  quality, 
and  the  last  inferior.  Ibid ,  fol.  75,  col.  2. 

A  man  may  obtain  forgiveness  after  the  third  transgres¬ 
sion,  but  if  he  repeat  the  offense  a  fourth  time,  he  is  not 


THE  TALMUD 


63 


pardoned  again;  for  it  is  said  (Amos  ii.  4),  <(For  three 
transgressions  of  Judah,  and  for  four,  I  will  not  turn  away 
the  punishment  thereof;”  and  again  (Job  xxxiii.  29), 
(<  IyO  !  all  these  things  doth  God  two  or  three  times”  (and 
so  inferentially  not  four  times)  <(  with  man  to  bring  back 
his  soul  from  the  pit.”  Yoma ,  fob  86,  col.  2. 

For  four  reasons  does  their  property  pass  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  avaricious  :  —  Because  they  are  backward  in 
paying  the  wages  of  their  hired  servants ;  because  they 
altogether  neglect  their  welfare ;  because  they  shift  the 
yoke  from  themselves  and  lay  the  burden  upon  their 
neighbors  ;  and  because  of  pride,  which  is  of  itself  as  bad 
as  all  the  rest  put  together  ;  whereas  of  the  meek  it  is 
written  (Ps.  xxxvii.  11),  <(  The  meek  shall  inherit  the 
earth.”  Succah ,  fol.  29,  col.  2. 

<(  And  the  Ford  showed  me  four  carpenters  ”  (Zech.  i, 
20).  Who  are  these  four  carpenters?  Rav  Ghana  bar 
Bizna  says  that  Rabbi  Shimon  Chassida  said  they  were 
Messiah  the  son  of  David,  Messiah  the  son  of  Joseph, 
Elijah,  and  the  Priest  of  Righteousness. 

Ibid ,  fol.  52,  col.  2. 

No  Synagogue  is  to  be  sold  except  on  condition  that 
there  be  power  of  re-purchase.  These  are  the  words  of 
Rabbi  Meir ;  but  the  sages  say  it  may  be  sold  uncon- 
ditionly,  except  in  these  four  particular  cases  :  that  it  be 
not  turned  into  a  bath-house,  a  tannery,  a  wash-house,  or 
a  laundry.  Meggillah ,  fol.  27,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Zachai  was  once  asked  by  his  dis¬ 
ciples  how  he  had  attained  such  length  of  days.  <(  Never 
once,”  he  said,  <(  in  my  life  have  I  acted  irreverently 
within  four  cubits  of  a  place  where  prayer  is  offered  ; 
never  have  I  called  a  person  by  a  wicked  name  ;  nor  have 
I  ever  failed  to  sanctify  the  Sabbath  over  a  cup  of  wine. 
Once  my  aged  mother  sold  her  head-dress  to  buy  the  con¬ 
secration  wine  for  me.”  Ibid.,  fol.  27,  col.  2. 

When  a  sage  is  approaching,  one  should  rise  up  before 
he  gets  within  four  ells’  distance,  and  remain  standing  un¬ 
til,  he  has  gone  as  far  past.  When  a  chief  magistrate  is 
about  to  pass,  one  must  rise  as  soon  as  he  comes  in  sight, 


64 


THE  TALMUD 


and  not  resume  the  seat  until  he  has  passed  four  ells. 
When  a  prince  passes,  one  must  stand  up  whenever  he  ap¬ 
pears,  and  not  sit  down  again  until  the  prince  himself  is 
seated;  for  it  is  said  (Exod.  xxxiii,  8),  <(  All  the  people 
rose  up,  .  .  .  and  looked  after  Moses  until  he  was  gone 
into  the  tabernacle. w  Kiddushin ,  fol.  33,  col.  2. 

When  Nero  came  to  the  Holy  Land,  he  tried  his  fortune 
by  belemnomancy  thus  :  —  He  shot  an  arrow  eastward,  and 
it  fell  upon  Jerusalem  ;  he  discharged  his  shafts  towards  the 
four  points  of  the  compass,  and  every  time  they  fell  upon 
Jerusalem.  After  this  he  met  a  Jewish  boy,  and  said  unto 
him,  <(  Repeat  to  me  the  text  thou  hast  learned  to-day.  * 
The  boy  repeated,  (<  I  will  lay  my  vengeance  upon  Edom 
(z.  e. ,  Rome)  by  the  hand  of  my  people  Israel ®  (Ezek. 
xxv.  14).  Then  said  Nero,  <(  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 
He  !  —  has  determined  to  destroy  His  Temple  and  then 
avenge  Himself  on  the  agent  by  whom  its  ruin  is  wrought.  * 
Thereupon  Nero  fled  and  became  a  Jewish  proselyte,  and 
Rabbi  Meir  is  of  his  race.  Gittin ,  fol.  56,  col.  1. 

They  whose  banquet  is  accompanied  with  four  kinds  of 
instruments  of  music  bring  five  calamities  on  the  world  ; 
as  it  is  said  (Isa.  v.  11-15),  <(  Woe  unto  those  that  get  up 
early  in  the  morning,  that  they  may  run  after  strong 
drink ;  and  continue  until  late  at  night,  till  flushed  with 
wine.  And  the  harp  and  psaltery,  tambourine  and  flute, 
and  wine  are  at  their  carousals.  ®  Soteh ,  fol.  48,  col.  1. 

Let  him  carry  the  purse,  and  halt  every  time  he  accom¬ 
plishes  less  than  four  cubits  forward. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  153,  cols.  1,  2. 

Rav  Yitzchak  here  explains  how  the  good  Jew,  belated  on  Sab¬ 
bath-eve,  may  carry  his  purse  himself,  and  so  save  his  conscience. 
The  traveler  is  to  halt  at  about  every  other  step,  and  so  measure  off 
the  journey  in  four-cubit  stages. 

Though  ever  since  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  the 
Sanhedrin  has  ceased  to  exist,  the  four  kinds  of  capital 
punishment  have  not  failed  to  assert  themselves.  If  a  man 
incurs  the  penalty  of  death  by  stoning,  he  is  in  the  course 
of  Providence  either  punished  by  a  fatal  fall  from  a  roof 
or  slain  by  some  beast  of  prey  ;  if  he  has  exposed  himself 


THE  TALMUD 


65 


to  the  penalty  of  death  by  burning,  it  happens  that  he  is 
either  burned  to  death  in  the  end  or  mortally  stung  by  a 
serpent ;  if  the  penalty  of  the  law  is  that  he  should  be 
beheaded  for  his  offense,  he  meets  his  death  either  from 
the  Government  officer  or  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin  ;  if 
the  penalty  be  strangulation,  he  is  sure  to  be  drowned  or 
suffocated.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  37,  col.  2. 

When  a  person  is  in  a  state  of  apprehension  and  cannot 
make  out  the  cause  of  it  (the  star  that  presided  at  his 
birth  and  his  genii  know  all  about  it),  what  should  he  do? 
Let  him  jump  from  where  he  is  standing  four  cubits,  or 
else  let  him  repeat,  (<  Hear,  O  Israel,0  etc.  (Deut.  vi.  4)  ;  or 
if  the  place  be  unfit  for  the  repetition  of  Scripture,  let  him 
mutter  to  himself,  (<  The  goat  at  the  butcher’s  is  fatter  than 
me.”  Ibid.,  fol.  94,  col.  1. 

It  is  "written  in  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  7,  <(  A  carved  image  ;  0 
and  again  it  is  written  in  verse  19,  <(  Graven  images.0 
Rabbi  Yochanan  said,  (<  At  first  he  made  the  image  with 
one  face,  but  afterwards  he  made  it  with  four  —  four,  so 
that  the  Shechinah  might  see  it  from  every  point,  and  thus 
be  exasperated.0  Ibid.,  fol.  103,  col.  2. 

Moses  uttered  four  judgments  upon  Israel,  but  four  proph¬ 
ets  revoked  them:  —  (1.)  First  Moses  said  (Deut.  xxxiii. 
28),  (<  Israel  then  shall  dwell  in  safety  alone;0  then  came 
Amos  and  set  it  aside  (Amos  vii.  5),  (<  Cease,  I  beseech 
thee,0  etc.;  and  then  it  is  written  (verse  6),  <(  This  shall 
not  be,  saith  the  Lord.0  (2.)  First  Moses  said  (Deut. 
xxviii.  65),  (<  Among  these  nations  thou  shalt  find  no 
ease  ;  0  then  came  Jeremiah  and  set  this  saying  aside  (Jer. 
xxxi.  2),  <(  Even  Israel,  when  I  went  to  cause  him  to  rest.0 
(3.)  First  Moses  said  (Exod.  xxxiv.  7),  <(  Visiting  the  in¬ 
iquities  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  ;  0  then  came  Eze¬ 
kiel  and  set  this  aside  (Ezek.  xviii.  4),  <(  The  soul  that 
sinneth,  it  shall  die.0  (4.)  First  Moses  said  (Lev.  xxvi. 
38),  <(And  ye  shall  perish  among  the  heathen  ;°  then  came 
Isaiah  and  reversed  this  (Isa.  xxvii.  13),  <(  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  in  that  day  that  the  great  trumpet  shall  be 
blown,  and  they  shall  come  which  were  ready  to  perish.0 

Maccoth ,  fol.  24,  col.  1. 


5 


66 


THE  TALMUD 


When  Akavyah  ben  Mahalalel  appeared  to  four  halachans 
contradicting  the  judgment  of  the  wise  on  a  certain  impor¬ 
tant  point  of  law,  (<  Retract, w  they  said,  (<  and  we  will  pro¬ 
mote  thee  to  be  president  of  the  tribunal.''  To  which  he 
replied,  (<  I  would  rather  be  called  a  fool  all  the  days  of  my 
life  than  be  judged  wicked  for  one  hour  before  Him  who 
is  omnipresent. })  Edioth ,  chap.  5,  mish.  6. 

Let  thy  house  be  open  wide  toward  the  south,  the  east, 
the  west,  and  the  north,  just  as  Job,  who  made  four  en¬ 
trances  to  his  house,  in  order  that  the  poor  might  find 
entrance  without  trouble  from  whatever  quarter  they  might 
come.  Avoth  d’Rav.  Nathan ,  chap.  7. 

Rabbah  once  saw  a  sea-monster  on  the  day  it  was  brought 
forth,  and  it  was  as  large  as  Mount  Tabor.  And  how 
large  is  Mount  Tabor?  Its  neck  was  three  miles  long,  and 
where  it  laid  its  head  a  mile  and  a  half.  Its  dung  choked 
up  the  Jordan,  till,  as  Rashi  says,  its  waters  washed  it 
away.  Bava  Bathra ,  fob  73,  col.  2. 

Shemuel  said,  (( We  know  remedies  for  all  maladies  ex¬ 
cept  three :  —  That  induced  by  unripe  dates  on  an  empty 
stomach  ;  that  induced  by  wearing  a  damp  linen  rope  round 
one’s  loins  ;  and  that  induced  by  falling  asleep  after  meals 
without  having  first  walked  a  distance  of  at  least  four 
cubits. »  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  113,  cob  2. 

The  five  times  repeated  ((  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul )y 
(Ps.  ciii.  civ.),  were  said  by  David  with  reference  both  to 
God  and  the  soul.  As  God  fills  the  whole  world,  so  does 
the  soul  fill  the  whole  body  ;  as  God  sees  and  is  not  seen, 
so  the  soul  sees  and  is  not  seen  ;  as  God  nourishes  the 
whole  world,  so  does  the  soul  nourish  the  whole  body  ; 
as  God  is  pure,  so  also  is  the  soul  pure  ;  as  God  dwell- 
eth  in  secret,  so  does  the  soul  dwell  in  secret.  There¬ 
fore  let  him  who  possesses  these  five  properties  praise 
Him  to  whom  these  five  attributes  belong. 

Berachoih ,  fob  10,  col.  1. 

Five  things  have  in  them  a  sixtieth  part  of  five  other 
things:  —  Fire,  honey,  the  Sabbath,  sleep,  and  dreams.  Fire 
is  a  sixtieth  of  hell,  honey  a  sixtieth  of  manna,  the  Sab- 


THE  TALMUD 


67 


bath  a  sixtieth  of  the  rest  in  the  world  to  come,  sleep  the 
sixtieth  of  death,  and  a  dream  the  sixtieth  of  prophecy. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  57,  col.  2.. 

There  are  five  weak  things  that  are  a  source  of  terror 
to  the  strong:  —  The  mosquito  is  a  terror  to  the  lion,  the 
gnat  is  a  terror  to  the  elephant,  the  ichneumon-fly  is  a  ter¬ 
ror  to  the  scorpion,  the  flycatcher  is  a  terror  to  the  eagle* 
and  the  stickleback  is  a  terror  to  the  leviathan. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  77,  col.  2. 

These  five  should  be  killed  even  on  the  Sabbath  :  —  The 
fly  of  Egypt,  the  wasp  of  Nineveh,  the  scorpion  of  Hada- 
bia,  the  serpent  of  the  land  of  Israel,  and  the  mad  dog 
anywhere  and  everywhere.  Ibid.,  fol.  12 1,  col.  2. 

Five  things  did  Canaan  teach  his  children  :  —  To  love  one 
another,  to  perpetrate  robbery,  to  practice  wantonness,  to  hate 
their  masters,  and  not  to  speak  the  truth. 

Psachim ,  fol.  113,  col.  2. 

Five  things  were  in  the  first  Temple  which  were  not  in 
the  second: — The  ark  and  its  cover,  with  the  cherubim; 
the  fire  ;  the  Shechinah ;  the  Holy  Spirit  ;  and  the  Urim 
and  Thummim.  Yoma ,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

Five  things  are  said  respecting  the  mad  dog  :  —  Its  mouth 
gapes  wide,  it  drops  its  saliva,  its  ears  hang  down,  its  tail 
is  curled  between  its  legs,  and  it  slinks  along  the  side  of 
the  road.  Rav  says  that  a  dog’s  madness  is  caused  by 
witches  sporting  with  it.  Samuel  says  it  is  because  an  evil 
spirit  rests  upon  it.  Ibid.,  fol.  83,  col.  2. 

When  a  man  has  betrothed  one  of  five  women,  and  does 
not  remember  which  of  the  five  it  is,  while  each  of  them 
claims  the  right  of  betrothment,  then  he  is  duty  bound  to 
give  to  each  a  bill  of  divorcement,  and  to  distribute  the 
dowry  due  to  one  among  them  all.  This  decision  is  accord¬ 
ing  to  Rabbi  Tarphon,  but  Rabbi  Akiva  holds  that  he  must 
not  only  divorce  each,  but  give  to  each  the  legal  dowry, 
otherwise  he  fails  in  his  duty.  Yevamoth ,  fol.  118,  col.  2. 

When  a  person  having  robbed  one  of  five  does  not  re¬ 
member  which  of  the  five  it  was  he  had  robbed,  and  each 
claims  to  havfc  been  the  victim  of  the  robbery,  then  he  is 


68 


THE  TALMUD 


to  part  the  stolen  property  (or  the  value  of  it)  among  them 
all,  and  go  his  way.  So  says  Rabbi  Tarphon,  but  Rabbi 
Akiva  argues  that  the  defaulter  does  not  in  this  way  fully 
exonerate  himself  ;  he  must  restore  to  each  and  all  the  full 
value  of  the  plunder.  Yevamoth ,  fob  118,  col.  2. 

These  things  are  said  concerning  garlic  :  —  It  nourishes, 
it  glows  inwardly,  it  brightens  the  complexion,  and  in¬ 
creases  virility.  Some  say  that  it  is  a  philtre  for  love,  and 
that  it  exterminates  jealousy. 

Bava  Kama,  fol.  82,  col.  1. 

Five  things  cause  forgetfulness  :  —  Partaking  of  what  has 
been  gnawed  by  a  mouse  or  a  cat,  eating  bullock’s  heart, 
habitual  use  of  olives,  drinking  water  that  has  been  washed 
in,  and  placing  the  feet  one  upon  the  other  while  bathing. 

Horayoth ,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

Five  things  restore  the  memory  again:  —  Bread  baked 
upon  coals,  soft-boiled  eggs  without  salt,  habitual  use  of 
olive  oil,  mulled  wine,  and  plenty  of  salt.  Ibid. 

He  who  does  not  cheer  the  bridegroom  whose  wedding 
breakfast  he  has  enjoyed  transgresses  against  the  five  voices 
(mentioned  in  Jer.  xxxiii.  11)  : — <(  The  voice  of  joy,  the 
voice  of  gladness,  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom,  and  the 
voice  of  the  bride,  the  voice  of  them  that  shall  say  (  Praise 
ye  the  Ford  of  Hosts.*  ®  Berachoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  2. 

Mount  Sinai  had  five  names:  —  (1.)  Wilderness  of  Zin, 
because  on  it  the  Israelites  were  commanded  to  observe  the 
law  ;  (2.)  Wilderness  of  Kadesh,  because  on  it  the  Israel¬ 
ites  were  consecrated  to  receive  the  law  ;  (3.)  Wilderness 
of  Kedemoth,  because  precedence  was  there  given  to  Israel 
over  all  other  nations;  (4.)  Wilderness  of  Paran,  because 
there  the  Israelites  were  fruitful  and  multiplied  ;  (5.)  Wilder¬ 
ness  of  Sinai,  because  from  it  enmity  came  to  be  cherished 
to  the  Gentiles.  It  was  denominated  Horeb  according  to 
Rabbi  Abhu,  because  from  it  came  down  destruction  to  the 
Gentiles.  Shabbafk,  fol.  89,  cols.  1,  2. 

Mar  (the  master)  has  said,  <(From  dawn  to  the  appear¬ 
ance  of  the  sun  is  five  miles.  *  How  is  this  proved  ?  It  is 
written  (Gen.  xix.  15),  <(  When  the  dawn  arose  the  angels 
hurried  Lot;  ®  and  it  is  added  (verse  25),  w  The  sun  was 


THE  TALMUD 


69 


risen  upon  the  earth  when  Lot  entered  into  Zoar.^  And 
Rabbi  Chanena  said,  I  myself  have  seen  that  place,  and 
the  distance  is  five  miles. w  P  sachim,  fol.  93,  col.  2. 

He  that  cooks  in  milk  the  ischiadic  sinew  on  an  annual 
festival  is  to  be  scourged  five  times  forty  stripes  save  one  : 
—  For  cooking  the  sinew,  for  eating  the  sinew,  for  cooking 
flesh  in  milk,  for  eating  flesh  cooked  in  milk,  and  for 
lighting  the  fire.  Baitza,  fol.  12,  col.  1. 

To  this  very  day  this  sinew  is  extracted  from  the  hind  quarters  of 
all  animals  before  it  is  allowable  for  a  Jew  to  eat  them.  This  opera¬ 
tion,  in  popular  parlance,  is  termed  porging. 

The  mysteries  of  the  law  are  not  to  be  communicated 
except  to  those  who  possess  the  faculties  of  these  five  in 
combination  :  — (<  The  captain  of  fifty^,  and  the  honorable 
man,  and  the  counselor,  and  the  cunning  artificer,  and  the 
eloquent  orator })  (see  Isa.  iii.  3). 

Chaggigah ,  fol.  13,  col.  1. 

<(  Captain  of  fifty. w  This  should  be  read,  not  captain  of 
fifty,  but  captain  of  five,  that  is,  such  as  knew  how  to 
manage  the  five-fifths  of  the  law  (or  Pentateuch). 

Ibid.,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

Five  characteristics  were  ascribed  to  the  fire  upon  the 
altar:  —  It  crouched  there  like  a  lion,  it  shone  as  the  sun, 
it  was  perceptible  to  the  touch,  it  consumed  liquids  as 
though  they  were  dry  materials,  it  caused  no  smoke. 

Yoma ,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

How  is  it  that  the  wTord  signifying  (<  And  I  will  be  glori¬ 
fied, w  occurs  in  Hag.  i.  8  without  the  letter  which  is  the 
symbol  for  five,  though  it  is  sounded  as  if  that  letter  was 
there  ?  It  indicates  the  absence  of  five  things  from  the 
second  Temple  which  were  to  be  found  in  the  first.  (1.) 
The  ark,  i.  e.,  the  mercy-seat  of  the  cherubim;  (2.)  the 
fire  from  heaven  upon  the  altar;  (3.)  the  visible  presence; 
(4.)  the  Holy  Spirit  (of  prophecy,  says  Rashi)  ;  and  (5.) 
the  Urim  and  Thummim.  Ibid . 

How  then,  it  may  be  asked,  if  these  five  tokens  of  the  Divine 
presence  and  favor  which  rendered  the  first  Temple  so  glorious  were 
wanting  in  the  second  could  it  be  said  (Hag.  ii.  9),  (<The  glory  of 
this  latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  of  the  former”?  It  is  a  ques- 


70 


THE  TALMUD 


tion  which  it  is  natural  to  ask,  and  it  should  be  ingenuously  answered. 
Is  it  that  these  were  tending  to  usurp  the  place  of  the  spiritual,  of 
which  they  were  but  the  assurance  and  the  symbol,  and  darken  rather 
than  reveal  the  eternal  reality  they  adumbrated? 

The  Israelites  relished  any  flavor  they  fancied  in  the 
manna  except  the  flavor  of  these  five  things  (mentioned  in 
Num.  xi.  59): — <(  Cucumbers,  melons,  leeks,  onions,  and 
garlic. ®  Yoma ,  fol.  75,  col.  1. 

Five  things  happened  to  our  forefathers  on  the  17th  of 
Tammuz,  and  five  on  the  9th  of  Ab.  On  the  17th  of 
Tammuz  (1.)  the  tables  of  the  covenant  were  broken;  (2.) 
the  daily  sacrifice  was  done  away  with  ;  (3.)  the  city  walls 
were  cleft  asunder;  (4.)  Apostumes  burned  the  roll  of  the 
law;  (5.)  and  set  up  an  idol  in  the  temple.  On  the  9th  of 
Ab  (1.)  the  decree  was  uttered  that  our  ancestors  should 
not  enter  the  land  of  Canaan;  both  the  (2.)  first  and  the 
(3.)  second  Temple  were  destroyed;  (4.)  Byther  was  sub¬ 
jugated  and  (5.)  the  city  was  plowed  up. 

Taanith ,  fol.  26,  cols.  1,  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  where  it  is  we  learn  that  if  one 
has  five  sons  by  five  wives  he  is  bound  to  redeem  each  and 
all  of  them.  It  is  from  what  is  taught  in  Exod.  xxxiv.  20, 
where  it  is  said,  <(  All  the  first  born  of  thy  sons  shalt  thou 
redeem. KiddusHn.  fol.  29.  col.  2. 

If  Israel  had  not  sinned  they  would  have  had  no  other 
Scriptures  than  the  five-fifths  of  the  law  (that  is,  the  Pen¬ 
tateuch)  and  the  book  of  Joshua,  which  last  is  indispensa¬ 
ble,  because  therein  is  recorded  how  the  land  was  distributed 
among  the  sons  of  Israel  ;  but  the  remainder  was  added, 
<{  Because  in  much  wisdom  is  much  grief w  (Eccles.  i.  18). 

Nedarim ,  fol.  22,  col.  2. 

<(  If  a  man  steal  an  ox  or  a  sheep  and  kill  it  or  sell  it,  five 
oxen  shall  be  given  in  restitution  for  one  ox,  and  four 
sheep  for  one  sheep w  (Exod.  xxii.  1).  From  this  observe 
the  value  put  upon  work.  For  the  loss  of  an  ox,  because 
it  involves  the  loss  of  labor,  the  owner  is  recompensed  with 
five  oxen  ;  but  for  the  loss  of  a  sheep,  which  does  no  work, 
he  is  only  recompensed  with  four. 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  79,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


7 1 


<(  And  Esau  came  from  the  field,  and  he  was  faint M 
(Gen.  xxv.  29).  Rabbi  Yochanan  said  that  wicked  man 
committed  on  that  day  five  transgressions  :  —  He  committed 
rape,  committed  murder,  denied  the  being  of  God,  denied 
the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  and  despised  the  birthright. 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

There  are  five  celebrated  idolatrous  temples,  and  these 
are  the  names  of  them: — The  Temple  of  Bel  in  Babylon, 
the  Temple  of  Nebo  in  Chursi,  the  Temple  of  Thretha  in 
Maphog,  the  Temple  of  Zeripha  in  Askelon,  and  the 
Temple  of  Nashra  in  Arabia.  When  Rabbi  Dimmi  came 
from  Palestine  to  Babylon  he  said  there  were  others,  viz, 
the  Temple  of  Yarid  in  Ainbechi,  and  that  of  Nadbacha  in 
Accho.  Avodah  Zarah,  fol.  11,  col.  2. 

<(  And  they  also  transgressed  my  covenant,  which  I  have 
commanded  them ;  and  they  also  have  taken  of  the  accursed 
thing,  and  have  also  stolen,  and  dissembled  also,  and  have 
also  put  it  among  their  own  stuff w  (Josh.  vii.  ix).  Rav 
Illaa  says,  in  the  name  of  Rav  Yehudah  ben  Mispartha, 
the  fivefold  repetition  of  the  particle  also  shows  that  Achan 
had  trespassed  against  all  the  five  books  of  Moses.  The 
same  Rabbi  further  adds  that  Achan  had  obliterated  the 
sign  of  the  covenant,  for  it  is  said  in  relation  to  him, 
<(  And  they  have  also  transgressed  my  covenant ; yy  and 
with  reference  to  circumcision,  <(  He  hath  broken  my 
covenant. w  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  44,  col.  1. 

He  who  eats  an  ant  is  flogged  five  times  with  forty 
stripes  save  one.  Maccoth ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Akiva  used  to  say  there  are  five  judgments  on 
record  each  of  twelve  months’  duration  :  —  That  of  the 
deluge,  that  of  Job,  that  of  the  Egyptians,  that  of  Gog 
and  Magog,  and  that  of  the  wicked  in  hell.  This  last  is 
said  of  those  whose  demerits  outweigh  their  virtues,  or  those 
who  have  sinned  against  their  bodies. 

Edioth ,  chap.  2,  mish.  xo. 

Five  possessions  hath  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  — 
purchased  for  Himself  in  this  world: — (1.)  The  law  is 
one  possession  (Prov.  viii.  22)  ;  (2.)  Heaven  and  earth  is 
one  possession  (Isa.  lxvi.  1,  Ps.  civ.  24)  ;  (3.)  Abraham  is 


72 


THE  TALMUD 


one  possession  (Gen.  xiv.  9)  ;  (4.)  Israel  is  one  possession 
(Hxod.  xv.  16);  (5.)  the  Temple  is  one  possession,  as  it 
is  said  (Exod.  xv.  17),  <(The  sanctuary,  O  Eord,  Thy 
hands  have  established. w  And  it  is  also  said  (Ps.  lxxviii. 
54),  (<  And  He  brought  them  to  the  border  of  His  sanctu¬ 
ary,  even  to  this  mountain,  which  His  right  hand  had 
purchased. })  Avoth ,  chap.  6. 

Rabbi  Akiva  says  he  who  marries  a  woman  not  suited 
to  him  violates  five  precepts :  —  ( 1 . )  Thou  shalt  not 
avenge;  (2.)  thou  shalt  not  bear  a  grudge  ;  (3.)  thou  shalt 
not  hate  thy  brother  in  thy  heart;  (4.)  thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbor  as  thyself;  (5.)  and  that  thy  brother  may 
live  with  thee.  For  if  he  hates  her  he  wishes  she  were 
dead,  and  thus  he  diminishes  the  population. 

Avoth  d1  Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  26. 

Five  have  no  forgiveness  of  sins:  —  (1.)  He  who  keeps 
on  sinning  and  repenting  alternately;  (2.)  he  who  sins  in 
a  sinless  age;  (3.)  he  who  sins  on  purpose  to  repent;  (4.) 
he  who  causes  the  name  of  God  to  be  blasphemed.  The 
fifth  is  not  given  in  the  Talmud.  Ibid . ,  chap.  39. 

He  who  has  no  fringes  to  his  garment  transgresses  five 
positive  commands  (see  Num.  xv.  38.  etc.;  Deut.  xxii.  12). 

Meiiachotli ,  fol.  44,  col.  1. 

A  learner  who,  after  five  years,  sees  no  profit  in  study¬ 
ing,  will  never  see  it.  Rabbi  Yossi  says,  after  three  years, 
as  it  is  written  (Dan.  i.  4,  5),  <(  That  they  should  be 
taught  the  literature  and  the  language  of  the  Chaldeans, w 
so  educating  them  in  three  years.  Chullin ,  fol.  24,  col.  1. 

Any  one  who  doeth  any  of  these  things  sinneth 
against  himself,  and  his  blood  is  upon  his  own  head:  —  He 
that  (1.)  eats  garlic,  onions,  or  eggs  which  were  peeled 
the  night  before;  (2.)  or  drinks  water  drawn  over  night; 
(3.)  or  sleeps  all  night  in  a  burying-place ;  (4.)  or  pares 
his  nails  and  throws  the  cuttings  into  the  public  street. 

Niddah ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Yossi  said  :  —  <(  Never  once  in  all  my  life  have  the 
walls  of  my  house  seen  the  hem  of  my  shirt  ;  and  I  have 
planted  five  cedars  (sons  are  figuratively  so  termed,  see  Ps. 
xcii.  12)  in  Israel  —  namely,  Rabbis  Ishmael,  Eliezar, 


THE  TALMUD 


73 


Chalafta,  Artilas,  and  Menachem.  Never  once  in  my  life 
have  I  spoken  of  my  wife  by  any  other  name  than  house, 
and  of  my  ox  by  any  other  name  than  field. 

Shabbath ,  fob  118,  col.  2. 

Six  things  are  a  disgrace  to  a  disciple  of  the  wise  :  —  To 
walk  abroad  perfumed,  to  walk  alone  by  night,  to  wear  old 
clouted  shoes,  to  talk  with  a  woman  in  the  street,  to  sit 
at  table  with  illiterate  men,  and  to  be  late  at  the  syna¬ 
gogue.  Some  add  to  these,  walking  with  a  proud  step  or 
a  haughty  gait.  Berachoth ,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 

A  soft-boiled  egg  is  better  than  six  ounces  of  fine  flour. 

Ibid.,  fol.  44,  col.  2. 

Six  things  are  a  certain  cure  for  sickness :  —  Cabbage, 
beetroot,  water  distilled  from  dry  moss,  honey,  the  maw 
and  the  matrix  of  an  animal,  and  the  edge  of  the  liver. 

Ibid. 

These  six  things  are  good  symptoms  in  an  invalid  :  — 
Sneezing,  perspiration,  evacuation,  seminal  emission,  sleep, 
and  dreaming.  Ibid.,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

Six  things  bear  interest  in  this  world  and  the  capital  re- 
maineth  in  the  world  to  come  :  —  Hospitality  to  strangers, 
visiting  the  sick,  meditation  in  prayer,  early  attendance  at 
the  school  of  instruction,  the  training  of  sons  to  the  study 
of  the  law,  and  judging  charitably  of  one’s  neighbors. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  127,  col.  1. 

There  are  six  sorts  of  tears,  three  good  and  three  bad  : 
—  Those  caused  by  smoke,  or  grief,  or  constipation  are 
bad  ;  and  those  caused  by  fragrant  spices,  laughter,  and 
aromatic  herbs  are  good. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  15 1,  col.  2  ;  fol.  152,  col.  1. 

Six  things  are  said  respecting  the  illiterate  :  —  No  testi¬ 
mony  is  to  be  borne  to  them,  none  is  to  be  accepted  from 
them  ;  no  secret  is  to  be  disclosed  to  them  ;  they  are  not 
to  be  appointed  guardians  over  orphans,  nor  keepers  of  the 
charity-box,  and  there  should  be  no  fellowship  with  them 
when  on  a  journey.  Some  say  also  no  public  notice  is  to  be 
given  of  their  lost  property.  P' sachim,  fol.  49,  col.  2. 


74 


THE  TALMUD 


The  expression  here  rendered  <(  illiterate J)  means  literally 
<(  people  of  the  land/  and  was,  there  is  reason  to  believe, 
originally  applied  to  the  primitive  inhabitants  of  Canaan, 
traces  of  whom  may  still  be  found  among  the  fellahin  of 
Syria.  They  appear,  like  the  aboriginal  races  in  many 
countries  of  Christendom  in  relation  to  Christianity,  to  have 
remained  generation  after  generation  obdurately  inaccessible 
to  Jewish  ideas,  and  so  to  have  given  name  to  the  ignorant 
and  untaught  generally.  This  circumstance  may  account 
for  the  harshness  of  some  of  the  quotations  which  are  ap¬ 
pended  in  reference  to  them. 

He  who  aspires  to  be  a  fellow  of  the  learned  must  not 
sell  fruit,  either  green  or  dry,  to  an  illiterate  man,  nor  may 
he  buy  fresh  fruit  of  him.  He  must  not  be  the  guest  of 
an  ignorant  man,  nor  receive  such  an  one  as  his  guest. 

Denial,  chap.  2,  mish.  2. 

Our  Rabbis  teach,  Let  a  man  sell  all  that  he  has  and 
marry  the  daughter  of  a  learned  man.  If  he  cannot  find 
the  daughter  of  a  learned  man,  let  him  marry  the  daughter 
of  one  of  the  great  men  of  his  day.  If  he  does  not  find 
such  a  one,  let  him  marry  the  daughter  of  one  of  the 
heads  of  the  congregation,  or,  failing  this,  the  daughter  of 
a  charity  collector,  or  even  the  daughter  of  a  schoolmaster; 
but  let  him  not  marry  the  daughter  of  an  illiterate  man, 
for  the  unlearned  are  an  abomination,  as  also  their  wives 
and  their  daughters.  P' sachim,  fol.  49,  col.  2. 

It  is  said  that  Rabbi  (the  Holy)  teaches  that  it  is  illegal 
for  an  unlearned  man  to  eat  animal  food,  for  it  is  said 
(Lev.  xi.  46),  (<  This  is  the  law  of  the  beast  and  the 
fowl ; w  therefore  he  who  studies  the  law  may  eat  animal 
food,  but  he  who  does  not  study  the  law  may  not.  Rabbi 
Eliezar  said,  <(  It  is  lawful  to  split  open  the  nostrils  of  an 
unlearned  man,  even  on  the  Day  of  Atonement  which  hap¬ 
pens  to  fall  on  a  Sabbath.  *  To  which  his  disciples  re¬ 
sponded,  (<  Rabbi,  say  rather  to  slaughter  him/  He  replied, 
(<  Nay,  that  would  require  the  repetition  of  the  usual  bene¬ 
diction  ;  but  in  tearing  open  his  nostrils  no  benedictory 
formula  is  needed. *  Rabbi  Eliezar  has  also  said,  <(  It  is 
unlawful  to  travel  with  such  a  one,  for  it  is  said  (Deut. 


THE  TALMUD 


75 


xxx.  30),  (  For  it  is  thy  life  and  the  length  of  thy  days.* 

The  unlearned  does  not  ensure  his  own  life  (since  he  has 
no  desire  to  study  the  law,  which  would  prolong  life),  how 
much  less  then  will  he  regard  the  life  of  his  neighbor  ?  ” 
Rabbi  Samuel,  son  of  Nachman,  says  on  behalf  of  Rabbi 
Yochanan,  that  it  is  lawful  to  split  open  an  unlearned  man 
like  a  fish.  <(Aye,”  adds  Rabbi  Samuel,  (<  and  that  from 
his  back.”  P'sachim ,  fol.  49,  col.  2. 

Rav  Yehudah  says  it  is  good  to  eat  the  pulp  of  a  pump¬ 
kin  with  beetroot  as  a  remedy,  also  the  essence  of  hemp 
seed  in  Babylonian  broth  ;  but  it  is  not  lawful  to  mention 
this  in  the  presence  of  an  illiterate  man,  because  he  might 
derive  a  benefit  from  the  knowledge  not  meant  for  him. 

Nedarim,  fol.  49,  col.  1. 

No  contribution  or  heave-offering  should  be  given  to  an 
ignorant  priest.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  90,  col.  2. 

No  boor  can  be  pious,  nor  an  ignorant  man  a  saint. 

Avoth,  chap.  2,  mish.  6. 

Sleep  in  the  morning,  wine  at  mid-day,  the  idle  talk  of 
inexperienced  youth,  and  attending  the  conventicles  of  the 
ignorant  drive  a  man  out  of  the  world. 

Ibid . ,  chap.  3,  mish.  16. 

Rabbi  Jonathan  says,  <(  Where  do  we  learn  that  no  pres¬ 
ent  is  to  be  made  to  an  ignorant  priest  ?  ”  In  2  Cliron. 

xxxi.  4,  for  there  it  is  said  Hezekiah  (( commanded  that 

all  the  people  that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem  should  give  a  por¬ 
tion  to  the  priests  and  to  the  Uevites,  that  they  might  be 
strong  in  the  law  of  the  Ford.”  He  who  firmly  lays  hold 
of  the  law  has  a  claim  to  a  portion,  otherwise  he  has 
none.  Chullin ,  fol.  130,  col.  2. 

The  aged,  if  ignorant,  grow  weaker  in  intellect  the  older 
they  become  in  years,  for  it  is  written  (Job  xii.  20),  (<  He 
removeth  away  the  speech  of  the  trusty,  and  taketh  away 
the  understanding  of  the  aged.  ”  But  it  is  not  so  with  them 
that  are  old  in  the  study  of  the  law,  for  the  older  they 
grow  the  more  thoughtful  they  become,  and  the  wiser,  as 
it  is  said  (Job  xii.  12),  <(  With  the  ancient  is  wisdom,  and 
in  length  of  days  understanding.”  Kinnin ,  chap.  3. 


76 


THE  TALMUD 


The  salutation  of  the  ignorant  should  be  responded  to 
quietly,  and  with  a  reluctant  nod  of  the  head. 

Taa7iith ,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 

No  calamities  ever  befall  the  world  except  such  as  are 
brought  on  by  the  ignorant.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

Rav  Hunna’s  w7idow  once  appeared  before  Rav  Nachman 
as  plaintiff  in  a  lawsuit.  <(  What  shall  I  do  ?  ”  he  said. 
<(  If  I  rise  before  her  (to  honor  her  as  the  widow  of  a 
Rabbi),  the  defendant,  w7ho  is  an  amhaaretz ,  will  feel  un¬ 
easy  ;  and  if  I  don’t  rise  I  shall  break  the  rule  which 
ordains  that  the  wife  of  an  associate  is  to  be  treated  as  an 
associate. ”  So  he  said  to  his  servant,  “Loose  a  young 
goose  over  my  head,  then  I’ll  get  up.” 

Rav  bar  Sheravyah  had  a  lawsuit  with  an  cimhaaretz  be¬ 
fore  Rav  Pappa,  w7ho  bade  him  be  seated,  and  also  asked 
the  other  to  sit  down.  When  the  officer  of  the  court 
raised  the  amhaaretz  with  a  kick,  the  magistrate  did  not 
request  him  to  be  seated  again.  Shevuoth ,  fol.  30,  col.  2. 

Six  things  are  said  respecting  demons.  In  three  particu¬ 
lars  they  are  like  angels,  and  in  three  they  resemble  men. 
They  have  w7ings  like  angels  ;  like  angels  they  fly  from  one 
end  of  the  world  to  the  other,  and  they  know  the  future, 
as  angels  do,  with  this  difference,  that  they  learn  by  listen¬ 
ing  behind  the  veil  w7hat  angels  have  revealed  to  them 
within.  In  three  respects  they  resemble  men.  They  eat 
and  drink  like  men,  they  beget  and  increase  like  men,  and 
like  men  they  die.  Chaggigah ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

The  Talmud  is  particularly  rich  in  demonology,  and  many  are  the 
forms  which  the  evil  principle  assumes  in  its  pages.  We  have  no 
wish  to  drag  these  shapes  to  the  light,  and  interrogate  them  as  to  the 
part  they  play  in  this  intricate  life.  Enough  now  if  we  mention  the 
circumstance  of  their  existence,  and  introduce  to  the  reader  the  story 
of  Ashmedai,  the  king  of  the  demons.  The  story  is  worth  relating, 
both  for  its  own  sake  and  its  historical  significance. 

In  Ecclesiastics  ii.  8,  we  read,  <(  I  gat  me  men  singers  and  women 
singers,  the  delights  of  the  sons  of  men,  as  musical  instruments,  and 
that  of  all  sorts. w  These  last  seven  words  represent  only  two  in  the 
original  Hebrew,  Shiddah-veshiddoth.  These  two  words  in  the  original 
Hebrew  translated  by  the  last  seven  in  this  verse,  have  been  a  source 
of  great  perplexity  to  the  critics,  and  their  exact  meaning  is  matter 
of  debate  to  this  hour.  They  in  the  West  say  they  mean  severally 


THE  TALMUD 


77 


carriages  for  lords  and  carriages  for  ladies,  while  we,  says  the  Baby¬ 
lonish  Talmud,  interpret  them  to  signify  male  demons  and  female  demons. 
Whereupon,  if  this  last  is  the  correct  rendering,  the  question  arises,  for 
what  purpose  Solomon  required  them  ?  The  answer  is  to  be  found  in 
i  Kings  vi.  7,  where  it  is  written, (( And  the  house, -when  it  was  in  building, 
was  built  of  stone  made  ready  before  it  was  brought  thither, ®  etc. 
For  before  the  operation  commenced  Solomon  asked  the  Rabbis, 
<(  How  shall  I  accomplish  this  without  using  tools  of  iron  ? w  and  they 
remembering  of  an  insect  which  had  existed  since  the  creation  of  the 
world,  wdiose  powers  were  such  as  the  hardest  substances  could  not 
resist,  replied,  <(  There  is  the  Shameer,  with  which  Moses  cut  the 
precious  stones  of  the  EphodA  Solomon  asked,  <(And  where,  pray,  is 
the  Shameer  to  be  found  ? })  To  which  they  made  answrer,  <(  Let  a 
male  demon  and  a  female  come,  and  do  thou  coerce  them  both  ; 
mayhap  they  know  and  will  reveal  it  to  thee. 10  He  then  conjured 
into  his  presence  a  male  and  a  female  demon,  and  proceeded  to  tor¬ 
ture  them,  but  in  vain,  for  said  they,  (<We  know  not  its  whereabouts 
and  cannot  tell  ;  perhaps  Ashmedai,  the  king  of  the  demons,  knows. » 
On  being  further  interrogated  as  to  where  he  in  turn  might  be  found, 
they  made  this  answer  :  <(  In  yonder  mount  is  his  residence  ;  there  he 
has  dug  a  pit,  and,  after  filling  it  with  water,  covered  it  over  with  a 
stone,  and  sealed  with  his  own  seal.  Daily  he  ascends  to  heaven  and 
studies  in  the  school  of  wisdom  there,  then  he  comes  down  and 
studies  in  the  school  of  wisdom  here  ;  upon  wThich  he  goes  and  ex¬ 
amines  the  seal,  then  opens  the  pit,  and  after  quenching  his  thirst, 
covers  it  up  again,  re-seals  it,  and  takes  his  departure. }> 

Solomon  thereupon  sent  Benaiah,  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  provided 
with  a  magic  chain  and  ring,  upon  both  of  which  the  name  of  God 
was  engraved.  He  also  provided  him  with  a  fleece  of  wool  and  sundry 
skins  with  wine.  Then  Benaiah  went  and  sank  a  pit  below  that  of 
Ashmedai,  into  which  he  drained  off  the  water  and  plugged  the  duct 
between  with  the  fleece.  Then  he  set  to  and  dug  another  hole  higher 
up  with  a  channel  leading  into  the  emptied  pit  of  Ashmedia,  by 
means  of  which  the  pit  was  filled  with  the  wine  he  had  brought. 
After  leveling  the  ground  so  as  not  to  rouse  suspicion,  he  withdrew  to 
a  tree  close  by,  so  as  to  watch  the  result  and  wait  his  opportunity. 
After  a  while  Ashmedai  came,  and  examined  the  seal,  when,  seeing  it 
all  right,  he  raised  the  stone,  and  to  his  surprise  found  wine  in  the 
pit.  For  a  time  he  stood  muttering  and  saying,  it  is  written,  ((Wine 
is  a  mocker  :  strong  drink  is  raging,  and  whosoever  is  deceived  thereby 
is  not  wiseA  And  again,  (<  Whoredom  and  wine  and  new  wine  take 
away  the  heart. w  Therefore  at  first  he  was  unwilling  to  drink,  but 
being  thirsty,  he  could  not  long  resist  the  temptation.  He  proceeded 
to  drink  therefore,  when,  becoming  intoxicated,  he  lay  dowm  to  sleep. 
Then  Benaiah,  came  forth  from  his  ambush,  and  stealthily  approach¬ 
ing,  fastened  the  chain  round  the  sleeper’s  neck.  Ashmedai,  when  he 
awoke,  began  to  fret  and  fume,  and  would  have  torn  off  the  chain 
that  bound  him,  had  not  Benaiah  warned  him,  saying,  (<  The  name  of 


78 


THE  TALMUD 


thy  Lord  is  upon  thee.®  Having  thus  secured  him,  Benaiah  proceeded 
to  lead  him  away  to  his  sovereign  master.  As  they  journeyed  along 
they  came  to  a  palm-tree,  against  which  Ashmedai  rubbed  himself, 
until  he  uprooted  it  and  threw  it  down.  When  they  drew  near  to  a 
hut,  the  poor  widow  who  inhabited  it  came  out  and  entreated  him  not 
to  rub  himself  against  it,  upon  which,  as  he  suddenly  bent  himself 
back,  he  snapt  a  bone  of  his  body,  and  said,  <(This  is  that  which  is 
written  (Prov.  xxv.  15),  (And  a  gentle  answer  breaketh  the  boned  ® 
Descrying  a  blind  man  straying  out  of  his  way,  he  hailed  him  and 
directed  him  aright.  He  even  did  the  same  service  to  a  man  over¬ 
come  with  wine,  who  was  in  a  similar  predicament.  At  sight  of  a 
wedding  party  that  passed  rejoicing  along,  he  wept ;  but  he  burst  into 
uncontrollable  laughter  when  he  heard  a  man  order  at  a  shoemaker’s 
stall  a  pair  of  shoes  that  would  last  seven  years  ;  and  when  he  saw  a 
magician  at  his  work  he  broke  forth  into  shrieks  of  scorn. 

On  arriving  at  the  royal  city,  three  days  were  allowed  to  pass  be¬ 
fore  he  was  introduced  to  Solomon.  On  the  first  day  he  said,  (<  Why 
does  the  king  not  invite  me  into  his  presence  ?  ®  (<  He  has  drunk  too 

much,®  was  the  answer,  (<and  the  wTine  has  overpowered  him.®  Upon 
which  he  lifted  a  brick  and  placed  it  upon  the  top  of  another.  When 
this  was  communicated  to  Solomon,  he  replied  (<He  meant  by  this, 
go  and  make  him  drunk  again.®  O11  the  day  following  he  asked 
again,  (<  Why  does  the  king  not  invite  me  into  his  presence  ?  ®  They 
replied,  ((He  has  eaten  too  much.®  On  this  he  removed  the  brick 
again  from  the  top  of  the  other.  When  this  was  reported  to  the  king, 
he  interpreted  it  to  mean,  <(  Stint  him  in  his  food.® 

After  the  third  day,  he  was  introduced  to  the  king ;  when  measuring 
off  four  cubits  upon  the  floor  with  the  stick  he  held  in  his  hand, 
he  said  to  Solomon,  <(  When  thou  diest,  thou  wilt  not  possess  in 
this  world  (he  referred  to  the  grave)  more  than  four  cubits  of 
earth.  Meanwhile  thou  has  conquered  the  world,  yet  thou  wert 
not  satisfied  until  thou  hadst  overcome  me  also.®  To  this  the 
king  quietly  replied,  <(I  want  nothing  of  thee,  but  I  wash  to  build  the 
Temple  and  have  need  of  the  Shanieer ,®  To  which  Ashmedai  at  once 
answered,  (t  The  Shameer  is  not  committed  in  charge  to  me,  but  to 
the  Prince  of  the  Sea,  and  he  intrusts  it  to  no  one  except  to  the  great 
wild  cock,  and  that  upon  an  oath  that  he  return  it  to  him  again.® 
Whereupon  Solomon  asked,  <(And  what  does  the  wild  cock  do  with 
the  Shameer  ?  ®  To  which  the  demon  replied,  <(  He  takes  it  to  a 
barren  rocky  mountain,  and  by  means  of  it  he  cleaves  the  mountain 
asunder,  into  the  cleft  of  wdiich,  formed  into  a  valley,  he  drops  the 
seeds  of  various  plants  and  trees,  and  thus  the  place  becomes  clothed 
with  verdure  and  fit  for  habitation.®  This  is  the  Shameer  (Lev.  xi. 
19),  Nagger  Tura,  wdiich  the  Targum  renders  Mountain  Splitter. 

They  therefore  searched  for  the  nest  of  the  wild  cock,  which  they 
found  contained  a  young  brood.  This  they  covered  with  a  glass,  that  the 
bird  might  see  its  young,  but  not  be  able  to  get  at  them.  When  accord¬ 
ingly  the  bird  came  and  found  his  nest  impenetrably  glazed  over,  he 


THE  TALMUD 


79 


went  and  fetched  the  Shameer.  Just  as  he  was  about  to  apply  it  to 
the  glass  in  order  to  cut  it,  Solomon’s  messenger  gave  a  startling  shout, 
and  this  so  agitated  the  bird  that  he  dropped  the  Shameer,  and 
Solomon’s  messenger  caught  it  up  and  made  off  with  it.  The  cock 
thereupon  went  and  strangled  himself,  because  he  was  unable  to  keep 
the  oath  by  which  he  had  bound  himself  to  return  the  Shameer. 

Benaiah  asked  Ashmedai  why,  when  he  saw  the  blind  man  stray¬ 
ing,  he  so  promptly  interfered  to  guide  him  ?  <(  Because, w  he  replied, 

<(  it  was  proclaimed  in  heaven  that  that  man  was  perfectly  righteous, 
and  that  whosoever  did  him  a  good  turn  would  earn  a  title  to  a  place 
in  the  world  of  the  future. ®  <(And  when  thou  sawest  the  man  over¬ 
come  writh  w'ine  wandering  out  of  his  way,  why  didst  thou  put  him 
right  again  ?®  Ashmedai  said,  (<  Because  it  was  made  known  in  heaven 
that  that  man  wras  thoroughly  bad,  and  I  have  done  him  a  good  service 
that  he  might  not  lose  all,  but  receive  some  good  in  the  world  that 
now  is.  ®  (<Well,  and  wThy  didst  thou  weep  w7hen  thou  sawest  the 
merry  wedding -party  pass  ?  ®  <(  Because,®  said  he,  <(  the  bridegroom  was 

fated  to  die  within  thirty  days  and  the  bride  must  needs  wait  thirteen 
years  for  her  husband’s  brother,  who  is  now  but  an  infant®  (see 
Deut.  xxv.  5-10).  <(Why  didst  thou  laugh  so  when  the  man  ordered 
a  pair  of  shoes  that  would  last  him  seven  years?®  Ashmedai  replied, 
<(  Because  the  man  himself  was  not  sure  of  living  seven  days.®  <(And 
why,®  asked  Benaiah,  (<  didst  thou  jeer  when  thou  saw7est  the  conjuror 
at  his  tricks  ?®  ((  Because, ®  said  Ashmedai,  (<the  man  was  at  that  very 

time  sitting  on  a  princely  treasure,  and  he  did  not,  with  all  his  pre¬ 
tension,  know  that  it  wTas  under  him.® 

Having  once  acquired  a  power  over  Ashmedai,  Solomon  detained 
him  till  the  building  of  the  Temple  was  completed.  One  day  after 
this,  w7hen  they  were  alone,  it  is  related  that  Solomon,  adressing 
him,  asked  him,  (<\Vhat,  pray  ,  is  your  superiority  over  us,  if  it  be 
true,  as  it  is  written  (Num.  xxiii.  22),  <He  has  the  strength  of  a 
unicorn, >  and  the  word  <  strength,*  as  tradition  alleges,  means  ( minis¬ 
tering  angels,*  and  the  word  (  unicorn  )  means  (  devils  *  ?  **  Ashmedai 
replied,  (<  Just  take  this  chain  from  my  neck,  and  give  me  thy  signet¬ 
ring,  and  I’ll  soon  show  thee  my  superiority.®  No  sooner  did  Solo¬ 
mon  comply  with  this  request,  than  Ashmedai,  snatching  him  up, 
swallowed  him;  then  stretching  forth  his  wings  —  one  touching  the 
heaven  and  the  other  the  earth  —  he  vomited  him  out  again  to  a  dis¬ 
tance  of  four  hundred  miles.  It  is  with  reference  to  this  time  that 
Solomon  says  (Eccl.  i.  3;  ii.  10),  <( What  profit  hath  a  man  of  all  his 
labor  which  he  taketh  under  the  sun?  This  is  my  portion  of  all  my 
labor.®  What  does  the  word  this  mean  ?  Upon  this  point  Rav  and  Sam¬ 
uel  are  at  variance,  for  the  one  says  it  means  his  staff,  the  other 
holds  that  it  means  his  garment  or  water- jug  ;  and  that  with  one  or 
other  Solomon  went  about  from  door  to  door  begging ;  and  wherever 
he  came  he  said  (Eccl.  i.  12),  (<  I,  the  preacher,  was  king  over  Israel 
in  Jerualem.®  When  in  his  wanderings  he  came  to  the  house  of  the 
Sanhedrin,  the  Rabbis  reasoned  and  said,  if  he  were  mad  he  would 


8o 


THE  TALMUD 


not  keep  repeating  the  same  things  over  and  over  again  ;  therefore 
what  does  he  mean  ?  They  therefore  inquired  of  Benaiah,  <(  Does  the 
king  ask  thee  into  his  presence  ? w  He  replied,  (( No  !  »  They  then 
sent  to  see  whether  the  king  visited  the  hareem.  And  the  answer 
to  this  was,  (<Yes,  he  comes. w  Then  the  Rabbis  .sent  word  back  that 
they  should  look  at  his  feet,  for  the  devil’s  feet  are  like  those  of  a 
cock.  The  reply  was,  (<He  comes  to  us  in  stockings. »  Upon  this  in¬ 
formation  the  Rabbis  escorted  Solomon  back  to  the  palace,  and 
restored  to  him  the  chain  and  the  ring,  on  both  of  which  the  name 
of  God  was  engraven.  Arrayed  with  these,  Solomon  advanced  straight¬ 
way  into  the  presence-chamber.  Ashmedai  sat  at  that  moment  on  the 
throne,  but  as  soon  as  he  saw  Solomon  enter,  he  took  fright  and 
raising  his  wings,  flew  away,  shrieking  back  into  invisibilitv.  In  spite 
of  this,  Solomon  continued  in  great  fear  of  him  ;  and  this  explains 
that  which  is  written  (Song  of  Songs,  iii.  7,  8),  (<  Behold  the  bed 
which  is  Solomon’s  ;  threescore  valiant  men  are  about  it,  of  the  val¬ 
iant  of  Israel  ;  they  all  hold  swords,  being  expert  in  war ;  every  man 
has  his  sword  upon  his  thigh,  because  of  fear  in  the  night. (See 
Gittin,  fol.  68,  cols.  1,  2.) 

Ashmedai  is  the  Asmodeus  of  the  Book  of  Tobit,  iii.  8,  vi.  14,  etc. 
The  Shameer  is  mentioned  in  Jer.  xvii.  1  ;  Ezek.  iii.  9  ;  Zech.  vii.  12. 
The  Seventy  in  the  former  passage  and  the  Vulgate  passim  take  it 
for  the  diamond. 

Six  things  are  said  respecting  the  children  of  men,  in 
three  of  which  they  are  like  angels,  and  in  three  they  are 
like  animals.  They  have  intelligence  like  angels,  they  walk 
erect  like  angels,  and  they  converse  in  the  holy  tongue  like 
angels.  They  eat  and  drink  like  animals,  they  generate 
and  multiply  like  animals,  and  they  relieve  nature  like  ani¬ 
mals.  Chaggigah ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

Six  months  did  the  Shechinah  hesitate  to  depart  from 
the  midst  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  in  hopes  that  they 
would  repent.  At  last,  when  they  persisted  in  impenitence, 
the  Shechinah  said,  (<  May  their  bones  be  blown  ;  })  as  it  is 
written  (Job  xi.  20),  (<  The  eyes  of  the  wicked  shall  fail, 
they  shall  not  escape,  and  their  hopes  shall  be  as  the  blow¬ 
ing  out  of  the  spirit.'*  Rosh  Hashanah,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

Six  names  were  given  to  Solomon:  —  Solomon,  Jedidiah, 
Koheleth,  Son  of  Jakeh,  Agur,  and  Lemuel. 

Avoth  d' Rad.  Nathan ,  chap.  39. 

Six  years  old  was  Dinah  when  she  gave  birth  to  Ase- 
uath,  whom  she  bore  unto  Shechem.  Sophrim ,  chap.  21. 


THE  TALMUD 


8 1 


(<  And  the  Ford  blessed  Obed-edom  and  all  liis  house¬ 
hold  w  (2  Sam.  vi.  n).  In  what  did  the  blessing  consist? 
Rav  Yehudah  bar  Zavidah  says  it  consisted  in  this,  that 
Hamoth,  his  wife,  and  her  eight  daughters-in-law  gave 
birth  each  to  six  children  at  a  time.  (This  is  proved  from 
1  Chron.  xxvi.  5,  8.)  Berachoth ,  fol.  63,  col.  2. 

Six  things  were  done  by  Hezekiah  the  king,  but  the 
sages  praised  him  for  three  only  :  —  ( 1 . )  He  dragged  the 
bones  of  his  father  Ahaz  on  a  hurdle  of  ropes,  for  this 
they  commended  him  ;  (2.)  he  broke  to  pieces  the  brazen  ser¬ 
pent,  for  this  they  commended  him  ;  (3.)  he  hid  the  Book  of 
Remedies,  and  for  this  too  they  praised  him.  For  three 
they  blamed  him :  —  ( 1 . )  He  stripped  the  doors  of  the 
Temple  and  sent  the  gold  thereof  to  the  King  of  Assyria  ; 
(2.)  he  stopped  up  the  upper  aqueduct  of  Gihon  ;  (3.)  he 
intercalated  the  month  Nisan.  P'sachim ,  fol.  56,  col.  1. 

The  hiding  of  the  Book  of  Remedies,  harsh  and  inhuman  as  it 
might  seem,  was  dictated  by  high  moral  considerations.  It  seemed 
right  that  the  trangressor  should  feel  the  weight  of  his  sin  in  the 
suffering  that  followed,  and  that  the  edge  of  judgment  should  not  be 
dulled  by  a  too  easy  access  to  anodyne  applications.  The  reason  for 
stopping  the  aqueduct  of  Gihon  is  given  in  2  Chron.  xxxii.  3,  4.  The 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  did  the  very  same  thing  when  the  Crusaders 
besieged  the  city,  a.  d.  1099.  Rashi  tries  to  explain  why  this  strata¬ 
gem  was  not  commended ;  the  reason  he  gives  is  that  Hezekiah 
ought  to  have  trusted  God,  who  had  said  (2  Kings  xix.  34),  « I  will 
defend  the  cityA 

Six  things  are  said  of  the  horse  :  —  It  is  wanton,  it  de¬ 
lights  in  the  strife  of  war,  it  is  high-spirited,  it  despises 
sleep,  it  eats  much  and  it  voids  little.  There  are  some 
that  say  it  would  fain  kill  its  own  master. 

Ibid.,  fol.  1 13,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  there  are  six  sorts  of  fire  : 
—  (1.)  Fire  that  eats  but  drinks  not,  i.e .,  common  fire; 
(2.)  fire  that  drinks  but  does  not  eat,  i.e.,  a  fever;  (3.) 
fire  that  eats  and  drinks,  i.e.,  Elijah,  as  it  is  written  (1 
Kings  xviii.  38),  <(  And  licked  up  the  water  that  was  in 
the  trench  ;  ®  (4.)  fire  that  burns  up  moist  things  as  soon 
as  dry,  i.e.,  the  fire  on  the  altar;  (5.)  fire  that  counteracts 
other  fire,  i.e..  like  that  of  Gabriel;  (6.)  fire  that  consumes 
fire,  for  the  Master  has  said  (Sanhed.,  fol.  38,  col.  2), 
6 


82 


THE  TALMUD 


(<  God  stretched  out  His  finger  among  the  angels  and  con¬ 
sumed  them,”  i.e.,  by  His  own  essential  fire. 

Yoma,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

For  six  months  David  was  afflicted  with  leprosy  ;  for  it 
is  said  (Ps.  li.  7),  “Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be 
clean ;  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than  snow.”  At 
that  time  the  Shechinah  departed  from  him ;  for  it  is 
said  (Ps.  li.  12),  ((  Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  Thy  salva¬ 
tion  ;  ”  and  the  Sanhedrin  kept  aloof  from  him,  for  it  is 
said  (Ps.  cxix.  79),  “Let  those  that  fear  thee  turn  unto 
me.”  That  this  ailment  lasted  six  months  is  proved  from 
1  Kings  ii.  11,  where  it  is  said,  (<  And  the  days  that  David 
reigned  over  Israel  were  forty  years  ;  seven  years  he  reigned 
in  Hebron,  and  thirty- three  years  he  reigned  in  Jerusalem  ;  ” 
whereas  in  2  Sam.  v.  5,  it  is  said,  ((  In  Hebron  he  reigned 
over  Judah  seven  years  and  six  months.”  The  reason  why 
these  six  months  are  omitted  in  Kings  is  because  during 
that  period  he  was  afflicted  with  leprosy. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  107,  cob  1. 

The  tables  of  stone  were  six  ells  long,  six  broad,  and 
three  thick.  Ncdarim,  fob  38,  cob  8. 

It  may  help  the  reader  to  some  idea  of  the  strength  of  Moses  if 
we  work  out  arithmetically  the  size  and  probable  weight  of  these  stone 
slabs  according  to  the  Talmud.  Taking  the  cubit  or  ell  at  its  lowest 
estimate,  that  is  eighteen  inches,  each  slab,  being  nine  feet  long,  nine 
feet  wide,  and  four  and  a  half  feet  thick,  would  weigh  upward 
of  twenty-eight  tons,  reckoning  thirteen  cubic  feet  to  the  ton, —  the 
right  estimate  for  such  stone  as  is  quarried  from  the  Sinaitic  cliff.  The 

Q  72Q 

figures  are  9  X  9  X  —  =  — ~  =  364.5  X  173-5  =  63240.75  =  28  tons, 
4  cwt.,  2  qrs.,  16  lbs.  avoirdupois. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  these  six  things  possess 
medicinal  virtue  :  —  Cabbage,  lungwort,  beetroot,  water, 
and  certain  parts  of  the  offal  of  animals,  and  some  also  say 
little  fishes.  Avodah  Zarah ,  fob  29,  cob  1. 

Over  six  the  Angel  of  Death  had  no  dominion,  and  these 
were:  —  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  Moses,  Aaron,  and 
Miriam.  Respecting  the  first  three  it  is  written,  (<  in  all  ” 
(Gen.  xxiv.  1),  “  of  all”  (Gen.  xxvii.  33)  <(  all  ”  (A.  V. 
“enough,”  Gen.  xxxiii.  11).  Respecting  the  last  three  it 


THE  TALMUD 


83 


is  written,  (<  by  the  mouth  of  Jehovah0  (see  Num.  xxxiii. 
38,  and  Deut.  xxxiv.  5).  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

According  to  Jewish  tradition,  there  are  903  kinds  of  death,  as  is 
elicited  by  a  Kabbalistic  rule  called  gematria,  from  the  word  outlets 
(Ps.  lxviii.  20)  ;  the  numeric  value  of  the  letters  of  which  word  is 
903.  Of  these  903  kinds  of  death,  the  divine  kiss  is  the  easiest.  God 
puts  His  favorite  children  to  sleep,  the  sleep  of  death,  by  kissing  their 
souls  away.  It  was  thus  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  fell  asleep,  as 
may  be  inferred  from  the  word  all ;  that  is  to  say,  they  had  all  the 
honor  God  could  confer  upon  them.  Moses  and  Aaron  fell  asleep  by 
the  divine  kiss,  for  it  is  plainly  stated  to  have  been  <(by  the  mouth 
of  Jehovah. w  So  also  Miriam  passed  away,  only  the  Scripture  does 
not  say  lest  the  scoffer  should  find  fault.  We  are  also  informed 
that  quinsy  is  the  hardest  death  of  all.  (See  Berachoth,  fol.  8,  col.  1.) 

<(  These  six  of  barley  gave  he  me. 0  What  does  this  mean  ? 
It  cannot  surely  be  understood  of  six  barleycorns,  for  it 
could  not  be  the  custom  of  Boaz  to  give  a  present  of  six 
grains  of  barley.  It  must,  therefore,  have  been  six  meas¬ 
ures.  But  was  it  usual  for  a  woman  to  carry  such  a  load 
as  six  measures  would  come  to  ?  What  he  intended  by  the 
number  six  was  to  give  her  a  hint  that  in  process  of  time 
six  sons  would  proceed  from  her,  each  of  which  would  be 
blessed  with  six  blessings  ;  and  these  were  David,  the  Mes¬ 
siah,  Daniel,  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah.  David,  as 
it  is  written  (1  Sam.  xvi.  8),  (1.)  (<  Cunning  in  playing,0 
(2.)  (<  and  a  mighty  and  valiant  man,0  (3.)  (<  a  man  of 
war,0  (4.)  (<  prudent  in  matters,0  (5.)  (<  a  comely  person,0 
(6.)  and  <(  the  Lord  is  with  him.0  The  Messiah,  for  it  is 
written  (Isa.  xi.  2),  (<  And  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest 
upon  him,0  viz,  (1.)  (<  The  spirit  of  wisdom  and  (2.) 

understanding,  (3.)  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  (4.)  might, 
(5.)  the  spirit  of  knowledge,  and  (6.)  the  fear  of  the  Lord.0 
Daniel,  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah,  for  regarding  them 
it  is  written  (Dan.  i.  4),  (1.)  <(  Young  men  in  whom  was 
no  blemish,0  (2.)  v<  handsome  in  looks,0  (3.)  <(  intelligent 
in  wisdom,0  (4.)  <(  acquainted  with  knowledge,0  (5.)  (<  and 
understanding  science,  and  such  as  (6.)  had  ability  to  stand 
in  the  palace  of  the  king,0  etc.  But  what  is  the  meaning  of 
unblemished  ?  Rav  Chama  ben  Chanania  says  it  means  that 
not  even  the  scar  of  a  lancet  was  upon  them. 

Sa?ihedrin ,  fol.  93,  cols.  1,  2. 


84 


THE  TALMUD 


The  words  <(not  even  the  scar  of  a  lancet  was  upon  them,**  bespeak 
the  prevalence  of  blood-letting  in  the  East,  and  the  absence  of  the 
scar  of  the  lancet  on  the  persons  of  Daniel  and  his  companions  is  a 
testimony  to  their  health  of  body  and  moral  temperance  and  purity. 

In  Taanith  (fol.  21,  cob  2)  mention  is  made  of  a  certain  phleboto- 
mist  —  a  noteworthy  exception  to  the  well-known  rule  (see  Kiddushin, 
fob  82,  cob  2)  that  phlebotomists  are  to  be  regarded  as  morally  de¬ 
praved,  and  in  the  same  class  with  goldsmiths,  perfumers,  hairdressers, 
etc., —  Abba  Umna  by  name,  who  had  a  special  mantle  writh  slits  in 
the  sleeves  for  females,  so  that  he  could  surgically  operate  upon 
them  without  seeing  their  naked  arms,  while  he  himself  was  covered 
over  head  and  shoulders  in  a  peculiar  cloak,  so  that  his  own  face 
could  not  by  any  chance  be  seen  by  them. 

From  Shabbath,  fob  156,  cob  1,  wre  learn  that  a  person  born  under 
the  influence  of  Maadim,  i.  e.f  Mars,  will  in  one  way  or  another  be  a 
shedder  of  blood,  such  as  a  plebotomist,  a  butcher,  a  highwayman, 
etc.,  etc. 

Six  blasts  of  the  horn  were  blown  on  Sabbath-eve.  The 
first  was  to  set  free  the  laborers  in  the  fields  from  their 
work ;  those  that  worked  near  the  city  waited  for  those 
that  worked  at  a  distance  and  all  entered  the  place  together. 
The  second  blast  was  to  warn  the  citizens  to  suspend  their 
employments  and  shut  up  their  shops.  At  the  third  blast 
the  women  were  to  have  ready  the  various  dishes  they  had 
prepared  for  the  Sabbath  and  to  light  the  lamps  in  honor 
of  the  day.  Then  three  more  blasts  were  blown  in  succes¬ 
sion,  and  the  Sabbath  commenced.  Shabbath ,  fol.  35,  col.  2. 

He  who  passes  seven  nights  in  succession  without  dream¬ 
ing  deserves  to  be  called  wicked. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

Gehinnorn  has  seven  names:  —  Sheol  (Jonah  ii.  2),  Ava- 
don  (Ps.  Ixxxviii.  11),  Shachath  (Ps.  xvi.  2),  Horrible  pit 
(Ps.  xl.  2),  Miry  clay  (Ps.  xl.  2),  the  Shadow7  of  death 
(Ps.  cvii.  14),  the  Subterranean  land. 

Eiruvin ,  fob  19,  col.  1. 

A  dog  in  a  strange  place  does  not  bark  for  seven  years. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  61,  col.  1. 

Seven  things  were  formed  before  the  creation  of  the 
world: — The  Law,  Repentance,  Paradise,  Gehenna,  the 
Throne  of  Glory,  the  Temple,  and  the  name  of  the  Mes¬ 
siah.  P'  sachim,  fol.  54,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


85 


The  Midrasli  Yalkut  (p.  7)  enumerates  the  same  list  almost  word 
for  word,  and  the  Targum  of  Ben  Uzziel  develops  the  tradition  still 
further,  while  the  Targum  Yerushalmi  fixes  the  date  of  the  origin  of 
the  seven  prehistoric  wonders  at  ((two  thousand  years  before  the  crea¬ 
tion  of  the  world. 

Seven  things  are  hid  from  the  knowledge  of  a  man  :  — 
The  day  of  death,  the  day  of  resurrection,  the  depth  of 
judgment  (i.  e.,  the  future  reward  or  punishment),  what  is 
in  the  heart  of  his  fellow-man,  what  his  reward  will  be, 
when  the  kingdom  of  David  will  be  restored,  and  when  the 
kingdom  of  Persia  will  fall.  P'sachim ,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

Seven  are  excommunicated  oefore  heaven:  —  A  Jew  who 
has  no  wife,  and  even  one  who  is  married  but  has  no  male 
children  ;  and  he  that  has  sons  but  does  not  train  them  up  to 
study  the  law  ;  he  who  does  not  wear  phylacteries  on  his 
forehead  and  upon  his  arm  and  fringes  upon  his  garment, 
and  has  no  mezuzah  on  his  doorpost  ;  and  he  who  goes 
barefooted.  Ibid.,  fol.  113,  col.  2. 

There  are  seven  skies: — Villon,  Raakia,  Shechakim, 
Zevul,  Maaon,  Maachon,  and  Aravoth. 

Chaggigah ,  fol.  12,  col.  2. 

Seven  days  before  the  Day  of  Atonement  they  removed 
the  high  priest  from  his  own  residence  to  the  chamber  of 
the  President,  and  appointed  another  priest  as  his  deputy 
in  case  he  should  meet  with  such  an  accident  as  would  in¬ 
capacitate  him  from  going  through  the  service  of  the  day. 
Rabbi  Yehudah  says  they  also  had  to  betroth  him  to  an¬ 
other  woman  lest  his  own  wife  should  die  meanwhile,  for 
it  is  said,  <(  And  he  shall  make  an  atonement  for  himself  and 
for  his  house, ® — his  house,  that  is,  his  wife.  In  reference 
to  this  precautionary  rule  it  wTas  observed,  there  might 
then  be  no  end  to  the  matter  (Rashi),  should  this  woman 
die  also.  Yoma ,  fol.  2,  col.  1. 

They  associated  with  the  high  priest  the  senior  elders  of 
the  Sanhedrin,  who  read  over  to  him  the  agenda  of  the  day, 
and  then  said  to  him,  (<  My  lord  high  priest,  read  thou  for 
thyself ;  perhaps  thou  hast  forgotten  it,  or  maybe  thou 
hast  not  learned  it  at  all.®  On  the  day  before  the  Day  of 
.Atonement  he  was  taken  to  the  East  Gate  when  they 


86 


THE  TALMUD 


caused  oxen,  rams,  and  lamb,s  to  pass  before  him,  that  he 
might  become  well-versed  and  expert  in  his  official  duties. 
During  the  whole  of  the  seven  (preparatory)  days  neither 
victuals  nor  drink  were  withheld  from  him,  but  toward 
dusk  on  the  eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement  they  did  not 
allow  him  to  eat  much,  for  much  food  induces  sleep. 
Then  the  elders  of  the  Sanhedrin  surrendered  him  to  the 
elders  of  the  priesthood,  and  these  conducted  him  to  the 
hall  of  the  house  of  Abtinas,  and  there  they  swore  him 
in  ;  and  after  bidding  him  good-bye,  they  went  away.  In 
administering  the  oath  they  said,  <(  My  lord  high  priest, 
we  are  ambassadors  of  the  Sanhedrin  ;  thou  art  our  ambas¬ 
sador  and  the  ambassador  of  the  Sanhedrin  as  well.  We 
adjure  thee,  by  Him  who  causes  His  name  to  dwell  in  this 
house,  that  thou  alter  not  anything  that  we  have  told 
thee  !  w  Then  they  parted,  both  they  and  he  weeping.  He 
-wept  because  they  suspected  he  was  a  Sadducee,  and  they 
wept  because  the  penalty  for  wrongly  suspecting  persons  is 
scourging.  If  he  wTas  a  learned  man  he  preached  (during 
the  night)  ;  if  not,  learned  men  preached  before  him.  If 
he  was  a  ready  reader,  he  read ;  if  not,  others  read  to 
him.  What  were  the  books  read  over  to  him?  Job,  Ezra, 
and  the  Chronicles.  Zechariah  the  son  of  Kevootal  says, 
<(  I  have  often  read  before  him  the  Book  of  Daniel. If  he 
became  drowsy,  the  juniors  of  the  priestly  order  fillipped 
their  middle  fingers  before  him,  and  said,  <(  My  lord  high 
priest,  stand  up  and  cool  thy  feet  upon  the  pavement. * 
Thus  they  kept  him  engaged  till  the  time  of  slaughtering 
^the  sacrifices).  Yoma ,  fol.  18,  cols,  i,  2  ;  fol.  19,  col.  2. 

Sacerdos  nascitur,  non  fit, —  a  priest  is  born,  not  made,  we  may 
truly  say,  just  altering  one  word  of  a  well-known  proverb.  His 
father  was  a  priest,  and  so  were  his  forefathers  as  far  back  as  the  time 
of  Aaron  ;  his  sons  and  his  sons’  sons  after  him  will  belong  to  the 
priestly  order,  and  so  the  name  was  far  too  often  only  the  badge  for 
exclusive  and  hereditary  privilege.  This  rule,  that  applies  to  the 
priests,  holds  good  also  with  regard  to  the  Levites.  ( Berachoth ,  fol. 
29,  col.  1.) 

There  was  a  town  in  the  land  of  Israel  called  Gophnith, 
where  there  were  eighty  couples  of  brother  priests  who 
married  eighty  couples  of  sister  priestesses  in  one  night. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  44.  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


87 


Flay  a  carcass  and  take  thy  fee,  but  say  not  it  is  humil¬ 
iating  because  I  am  a  priest,  I  am  a  great  man. 

P} sachim,  fol.  113,  col.  1. 

Philo  Judaeus,  De  Sac.  Honor,  (p.  833),  says,  (<The  hides  of  the 
burnt-offerings  proved  a  rich  perquisite  of  the  priesthood. w 

The  number  of  high  priests  who  officiated  in  succession 
during  the  410  years  of  the  continuance  of  the  first  Tem¬ 
ple  was  only  eighteen,  but  the  number  who  held  office  dur¬ 
ing  the  420  years  of  the  second  Temple  amounted  to  more 
than  three  hundred,  most  of  them  having  died  within  a 
year  after  their  entrance  upon  the  office.  The  reason  as¬ 
signed  by  the  Talmud  for  the  long  lives  of  the  former  and 
the  short  lives  of  the  latter  is  the  text  given  in  Prov.  x. 
27,  <(  The  fear  of  the  Lord  prolongeth  days,  but  the  years 
of  the  wicked  shall  be  shortened. ®  Yoma ,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

Before  a  priest  could  be  admitted  into  active  service  in 
the  Temple  he  had  to  undergo  bodily  inspection  at  the 
hands  of  the  syndicate  of  the  Sanhedrin.  If  they  found 
the  least  defect  in  his  body,  even  a  mole  with  hair  upon 
it,  he  was  ordered  to  dress  in  black  and  be  dismissed  ;  but 
if  he  was  perfectly  free  from  blemish,  he  was  arrayed  in 
white,  and  at  once  introduced  to  his  brother  priests  and 
official  duties.  Ibid.,  fol.  19,  col.  1. 

The  daughters  of  a  male  proselyte  who  has  married  the 
daughter  of  a  female  proselyte  are  eligible  to  marry  priests. 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

If  thou  seest  an  impudent  priest,  think  not  evil  of  him  ; 
for  it  is  said  (Hosea  iv.  4),  <(  Thy  people  are  as  they  that 
strive  with  the  priest (see  chap.  ii.  p.  25,  Note  c. ). 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  70,  col.  2. 

So  long  as  there  is  a  diadem  on  the  head  of  the  priest, 
there  is  a  crown  on  the  head  of  every  man.  Remove  the 
diadem  from  the  head  of  the  high  priest  and  you  take 
away  the  crown  from  the  head  of  all  the  people.  (This  is 
a  Talmudic  comment  on  Ezek.  xxi.  31  ;  A.  Ver. ,  26.) 

Gittin ,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

A  king  shaved  his  head  every  day,  a  high  priest  did  the 
same  once  a  week,  and  an  ordinary  priest  once  a  month. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  22,  col.  2. 


88 


THE  TALMUD 


When  a  priest  performs  the  service  of  the  Temple  in  a 
state  of  defilement,  his  brother  priests  are  not  required  to 
lead  him  before  the  tribunal,  but  the  juniors  of  the  priestly 
order  are  to  drag  him  out  into  the  hall  and  brain  him  with 
clubs.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  81,  col.  2. 

When  kings  were  anointed,  the  holy  oil  was  laid  on  the 
forehead  in  the  form  of  a  coronet,  and  when,  says  Rabbi 
Mansi  bar  Gadda,  priests  were  anointed,  the  operation  was 
performed  in  the  shape  of  the  Greek  letter 

Horayoth ,  fol.  12,  col.  1. 

A  learned  man  who  is  of  illegitimate  birth  is  preferable 
to  an  ignorant  priest.  Ibid.,  fol.  13,  col.  1. 

A  priest  who  makes  no  confession  during  service  has  no 
part  in  the  priesthood.  (He  forfeits  his  emoluments.) 

Menachoth ,  fol.  18,  col.  2. 

The  bald-headed,  the  dwarfed,  and  the  blear-eyed  are  in¬ 
eligible  for  the  priesthood.  Bechoroth ,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 

Rav  Chisda  says,  <(  The  portions  that  fall  to  the  priests 
are  not  to  be  eaten  except  roasted  and  that  with  mustard, w 
because  Scripture  says  (Num.  xviii.  8),  (<  by  reason  of  the 
anointing, })  i.  e .,  by  way  of  distinction,  for  only  kings  (who, 
of  course,  are  anointed)  eat  roast  meat  with  mustard. 

Chuttin ,  fol.  132,  col.  2. 

If  a  case  of  mistaken  identity  should  occur  between  the 
child  of  a  priestess  and  the  child  of  her  female  slave,  so 
that  the  one  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  other,  they 
both  are  to  eat  of  the  heave-offering  and  to  receive  one 
share  from  the  threshing-floor.  When  grown  up,  each  is  to 
set  the  other  free.  Gittin ,  fol.  42,  col.  2. 

From  the  ol-d  clothes  of  the  priests  the  wicks  were  made 
for  the  lamps  in  the  Temple.  Shabbath ,  fol.  21,  col.  1. 

Scripture  authority  is  given  in  proof  that  the  very  gar¬ 
ments  possessed  the  faculty  of  making  atonement  for  sin 
every  whit  as  effectually  as  animal  sacrifices.  We  are  taught 
that  the  priest’s  shirt  atones  for  murder,  his  drawers  atone 
for  whoredom,  his  mitre  for  pride,  his  girdle  for  evil 
thoughts,  his  breastplate  for  injustice,  his  ephod  for  idol- 


THE  TALMUD 


89 


atry  ;  his  overcoat  atones  for  slander,  and  the  golden  plate 
on  his  forehead  atones  for  impudence. 

Zevachim ,  fol.  88,  col.  2. 

All  this  and  a  great  deal  more  on  the  subject  may  be  found  in  the 
Selichoth  for  Yom  Kippur. 

For  seven  years  was  the  land  of  Israel  strewn  with 
brimstone  and  salt.  Yoma ,  fol.  54,  col.  1. 

<(  Then  shall  we  raise  against  him  seven  shepherds w 
(Micali.  v.  5).  Who  are  these  seven  shepherds?  David  in 
the  middle ;  Adam,  Seth,  and  Methuselah  on  his  right 
hand;  Abraham,  Jacob,  and  Moses  on  his  left. 

Succak ,  fol.  52,  col.  2. 

Who  were  the  seven  prophetesses?  The  answer  is,  Sarah, 
Miriam,  Deborah,  Hannah,  Abigail,  Huldah,  and  Esther. 

Meggillah ,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 

It  is  lawful  to  look  into  the  face  of  a  bride  for  seven 
days  after  her  marriage,  in  order  to  enhance  the  affection 
with  which  she  is  regarded  by  her  husband,  and  there  is 
no  Halachah  (or  law)  like  this. 

Kethuboth,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  are  especially  careful  to  caution  their  daughters  to 
guard  against  such  habits  as  might  lower  them  in  the  regard  of  their 
husbands,  lest  they  should  lose  aught  of  that  purifying  and  elevating 
power  which  they  exercised  as  maidens.  It  is  thus,  for  instance,  Rav 
Chisda  counsels  his  daughters  :  (<  Be  ye  modest  before  your  husbands, 
and  do  not  even  eat  before  them.  Bat  not  vegetables  or  dates  in  the 
evening,  and  touch  not  strong  drink. })  ( Shabbath ,  fol.  140,  col.  2.) 

Once  upon  a  time  a  demon  in  the  shape  of  a  seven¬ 
headed  dragon  came  forth  against  Rav  Acha  and  threatened 
to  harm  him,  but  the  Rabbi  threw  himself  on  his  knees, 
and  every  time  he  fell  down  to  pray  he  knocked  off  one  of 
these  heads,  and  thus  eventually  killed  the  dragon. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  29,  col.  2. 

On  the  seventh  of  the  month  Adar,  Moses  died,  and  on 
that  day  the  manna  ceased  to  come  down  from  heaven. 

Ibid.,  fol.  38,  col.  1. 

The  seventh  of  Adar  is  still,  and  has  long  been,  kept  sacred  as  the 
day  of  the  death  of  Moses  our  Rabbi  —  peace  be  with  him  !  —  and  that 
on  the  authority  of  T.  B.  Kiddushin  (as  quoted  above),  and  Soteh, 


9° 


THE  TALMUD 


fol.  io,  col.  2  ;  but  Josephus  (Book  iv.  chap.  8,  sec.  49)  most  distinctly 
affirms  that  Moses  died  <(on  the'  first  day  of  the  month, »  and  the 
Midrash  on  Esther  may  be  quoted  in  corroboration  of  his  statement. 
The  probability  is  that  the  Talmud  is  right  on  this  matter,  but  it  is 
altogether  wrong  in  connecting  with  this  event  the  stoppage  of  the 
manna  (see  Josh.  v.  10,  12). 

Seven  years  did  the  nations  of  the  world  cultivate  their 
vineyards  with  no  other  manure  than  the  blood  of  Israel. 
Rabbi  Chiya,  the  son  of  Abin,  says  that  Rabbi  Yehoshua, 
the  son  of  Korcha,  said,  <(  An  old  man,  an  inhabitant  of 
Jerusalem,  related  to  me  that  Nebuzaradan,  captain  of  the 
guard,  killed  in  this  valley  21 1  myriads  (about  2,110,000), 
and  in  Jerusalem  he  slaughtered  upon  one  stone  94  myriads 
(940,000),  so  that  the  blood  flowed  until  it  reached  the 
blood  of  Zechariah,  in  order  that  that  might  be  fulfilled 
which  is  said  (Hosea  iv.  2),  (  And  blood  toucheth  blood. >  ” 

Gittin ,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

The  seventh  of  Adar,  on  which  Moses  died,  was  the 
same  day  of  the  same  month  on  which  he  was  born. 

Sotek,  fol.  10,  col.  2. 

A  male  hyaena  after  seven  years  becomes  a  bat ;  this 
after  seven  years,  a  vampire  ;  this  after  other  seven  years, 
a  nettle ;  this  after  seven  years  more,  a  thorn ;  and  this 
again  after  seven  years  is  turned  into  a  demon.  If  a  man 
does  not  devoutly  bow  during  the  repetition  of  the  daily 
prayer  which  commences,  (<  we  reverently  acknowledge,  ”  his 
spine  after  seven  years  becomes  a  serpent. 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

It  is  related  of  Benjamin  the  righteous,  who  was  keeper 
of  the  poor-box,  that  a  woman  came  to  him  at  a  period  of 
famine  and  solicited  food.  <(  By  the  worship  of  God,”  he 
replied,  “there  is  nothing  in  the  box.”  She  then  ex¬ 
claimed,  “  O  Rabbi,  if  thou  dost  not  feed  me  I  and  my 
seven  children  must  needs  starve.”  Upon  which  he  re¬ 
lieved  her  from  his  own  private  purse.  In  course  of  time 
he  fell  ill  and  was  nigh  unto  death.  Then  the  ministering 
angels  interceded  with  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 
and  said,  <(  Lord  of  the  Universe,  Thou  hast  said  he  that 
preserveth  one  single  soul  of  Israel  alive  is  as  if  he  had 
preserved  the  life  of  the  whole  world  ;  and  shall  Benjamin 


THE  TALMUD 


9i 


the  righteous,  who  preserved  a  poor  woman  and  her  seven 
children,  die  so  prematurely  ?  w  Instantly  the  death-warrant 
which  had  gone  forth  was  torn  up,  and  twenty-two  years 
were  added  to  his  life.  Bava  Bathra,  fol.  11,  col.  1. 

Seven  prophets  have  prophesied  to  the  nations  of  the 
world,  and  these  were  Balaam  and  his  father,  Job,  Eliphaz 
the  Temanite,  Bildad  the  Shuhite,  Zophar  the  Naamathite, 
and  Elihu  the  son  of  Barachel  the  Buzite. 

Ibid.,  fol.  15.  col.  2. 

There  are  seven  who  are  not  consumed  by  the  worm  in 
the  grave,  and  these  are  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
Moses,  Aaron,  and  Miriam,  and  Benjamin  the  son  of 
Jacob.  Ibid. ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

Seven  men  form  an  unbroken  series  from  the  creation 
down  to  our  own  time.  Methuselah  saw  Adam,  Shem  saw 
Methuselah,  Jacob  saw  Shem,  Amram  saw  Jacob,  and 
Ahijah  the  Shilonite  saw  Amram,  and  Ahijah  was  seen  by 
Elijah,  who  is  alive  to  this  day.  Ibid. ,  fol.  121,  col.  2. 

Seven  years’  famine  will  not  affect  the  artisan. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  29,  col.  1. 

Seven  years  of  pestilence  will  not  cause  a  man  to  die  be¬ 
fore  his  time.  Ibid. 

<(  And  it  came  to  pass  after  seven  days  that  the  waters 
of  the  flood  were  upon  the  earth (Gen.  vii.  10).  Why 
this  delay  of  seven  days  ?  Rav  says  they  were  the  days  of 
mourning  for  Methuselah  ;  and  this  teaches  us  that  mourn¬ 
ing  for  the  righteous  will  defer  a  coming  calamity.  An¬ 
other  explanation  is,  that  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 
altered  the  course  of  nature  during  these  seven  days,  so 
that  the  sun  arose  in  the  west  and  set  in  the  east. 

Ibid ,  fol.  108,  col.  2. 

The  first  step  in  transgression  is  evil  thought,  the  second 
scoffing,  the  third  pride,  the  fourth  outrage,  the  fifth  idle¬ 
ness,  the  sixth  hatred,  and  the  seventh  an  evil  eye. 

Derech  Eretz  Zuta ,  chap.  6. 

Seven  things  cause  affliction:  —  Slander,  shedding  of 
blood,  perjury,  adultery,  pride,  robbery,  and  envy. 

Erchin ,  fol.  17,  col.  2. 


92 


THE  TALMUD 


A  rain  has  but  one  voice  .while  alive  but  seven  after  he 
is  dead.  How  so?  His  horns  make  two  trumpets,  his 
hip-bones  two  pipes,  his  skin  can  be  extended  into  a  drum, 
his  larger  intestines  can  yield  strings  for  the  lyre  and  the 
smaller  chords  for  the  harp.  Kinnim ,  chap.  3,  mish.  6. 

Rav  Chisda  said,  The  soul  of  a  man  mourns  over  him 
the  first  seven  days  after  his  decease ;  for  it  is  said  (Job 
xiv.  22),  (<  And  his  soul  shall  mourn  over  him.” 

Shabbath ,  fol.  152,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  a  man  should  not  drink 
water  on  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays  after  night-fall,  for  if 
he  does,  his  blood,  because  of  risk,  will  be  upon  his  own 
head.  What  risk  ?  That  from  an  evil  spirit  who  on  these 
evenings  prowls  abroad.  But  if  the  man  be  thirsty,  what 
is  he  to  do?  Let  him  repeat  over  the  wrater  the  seven 
voices  ascribed  to  the  Lord  by  David  in  Psalm  xxix.  3-9, 
(<  The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  upon  the  waters,”  etc. 

P’sackim,  fol.  112,  col.  1. 

Seven  precepts  did  Rabbi  Akiva  give  to  his  son  Rabbi 
Yehoshua :  —  (1.)  My  son,  teach  not  in  the  highest  place 
of  the  city;  (2.)  Dwell  not  in  a  city  where  the  leading 
men  are  disciples  of  the  wise  ;  (3.)  Enter  not  suddenly 

into  thine  own  house,  and  of  course  not  into  thy  neigh¬ 
bor’s ;  (4.)  Do  not  go  about  without  shoes;  (5.)  Rise 

early  and  eat  in  summer  time  because  of  the  heat,  and  in 
winter  time  because  of  the  cold;  (6.)  Make  thy  Sabbath 
as  a  week-day  rather  than  depend  for  support  on  other 
people;  (7.)  Strive  to  keep  on  close  friendly  terms  with 
the  man  whom  fortune  favors  (lit.  on  whom  the  present 
hour  smiles).  Rav  Pappa  adds,  <(  This  does  not  refer  to 
buying  or  selling,  but  to  partnership.”  Ibid. 

How  is  it  proved  that  mourning  should  be  kept  up  for 
seven  days?  It  is  written  (Amos  viii.  10),  <(  I  wfill  turn 
your  feasts  into  mourning,”  and  these  in  many  cases  lasted 
seven  days.  Moed  Katon ,  fol  20,  col.  1. 

Rav  Chisda  said  there  are  seven  kinds  of  gold  :  —  Gold, 
good  gold,  the  gold  of  Ophir,  purified  gold,  beaten  gold, 
shut-up  gold,  and  gold  of  Parvain. 


Yoma ,  fol.  44,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


93 


The  shut-up  gold  (i  Kings  vi.  12)  was  of  the  purest  and  rarest 
quality,  so  that  when  it  appeared  in  the  market  for  sale,  all  shops  in 
the  locality  were  (<  shut  upA  for  there  could  be  no  sale  of  any  other 
gold  before  that.  All  gold-dealers  <(  shut  up  )}  their  shops  in  ordei  to 
be  present  on  so  rare  an  occasion  ;  and  hence  the  name  of  this  kind 
of  gold  — (<  shut-up  goldA 

Each  day  of  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  they  walked  round 
the  altar  once,  and  said,  <(  O  Ford,  save  us,  we  beseech 
Thee  !  O  Ford,  prosper  us,  we  beseech  Thee  !  ®  But  on 
the  last  day  they  encompassed  it  seven  times.  On  their 
departure  they  said,  (t  Beauty  belongeth  to  thee,  O  altar ! 
Beauty  belongeth  to  thee,  O  altar !  ® 

Succah ,  fol.  45,  col.  1. 

It  deserves  to  be  noted  here  for  the  information  of  some  of  our 
readers  that  the  words  translated  above,  Save  now,  or  Save,  we  be¬ 
seech  thee,  are  the  original  of  our  word  Hosanna.  The  25th  and  26th 
verses  of  Psalm  cxviii.,  which  begin  with  this  expression,  were  re¬ 
peated  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  ;  and  hence  the  bundles  of  palm 
and  willow  branches  (carried  on  this  occasion),  the  prayers,  and  the 
festival  itself,  were  so  named,  i.  e.  Hosanna. 

The  Tempter  is  known  by  seven  distinctive  epithets  :  — 
( 1 . )  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  calls  him  evil  ;  as 
it  is  said,  <(  For  the  imagination  of  man’s  heart  is  evil.® 
(2.)  Moses  calls  him  uncircumcised;  as  it  is  said  (Deut.  x. 
16),  <(  Circumcise  therefore  the  uucircumcised  foreskin  of 
your  heart.®  (3.)  David  calls  him  unclean;  as  it  is  said 
(Ps.  li.  10),  (<  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God!®  Con¬ 
sequently  there  must  be  an  unclean  one.  (4.)  Solomon 
calls  him  enemy;  as  it  is  said  (Prov.  xxv.  21,  22),  (<  If 
thine  enemy  hunger,  give  him  bread  to  eat  ;  if  he  be 
thirsty,  give  him  water  to  drink  ;  for  thus  thou  shalt  heap 
coals  of  fire  upon  his  head,  and  the  Ford  shall  reward 

thee®  (i.  e.,  oppose  him  with  the  law.  The  word  rendered 

bread,  is  metaphorically  taken  for  the  law,  Prov.  ix.  5,  so 
that  give  him  water  to  drink  means  also  the  law,  Isa. 
lv.  1  —  Rashi.  And  the  Ford  reward  thee,  read  not  re¬ 
ward,  but  cause  him  to  make  peace  with  thee,  not  to  war 
against  thee.)  (5.)  Isaiah  calls  him  stumbling-block;  as 
it  is  said  (Isa.  lvii.  14),  (<  Cast  ye  up,  cast  ye  up,  prepare 

the  way,  take  up  the  stumbling-block  out  of  the  way  of 

my  people.®  (6.)  Ezekiel  calls  him  stone;  as  it  is  said 


94 


THE  TALMUD 


(Ezek.  xxxvi.  26),  <(  I  will  take  away  the  heart  of  stone 
out  of  your  flesh  and  I  will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh.  * 

(7.)  Joel  calls  him  the  hidden  one;  as  it  is  said  (Joel  ii. 
20),  <(  I  will  remove  far  from  you  the  hidden  one,”  i.  e., 
the  tempter  who  remains  hidden  in  the  heart  of  man ; 

(<  and  I  will  drive  him  into  a  land  barren  and  desolate, ” 

i.  e. ,  where  the  children  of  men  do  not  usually  dwell ; 

<(  with  his  face  toward  the  former  sea,”  i.  e.,  with  his  eyes 
set  upon  the  first  Temple,  which  he  destroyed,  slaying  the 
disciples  of  the  wise  that  were  in  it  ;  (<  and  his  hinder  part 
toward  the  latter  sea,”  i.  e.,  with  his  eyes  set  on  the  sec¬ 
ond  Temple,  which  he  destroyed,  also  slaying  the  disciples 
of  the  wise  that  were  in  it.  Succak,  fol.  52,  col.  1. 

Once  a  Jewish  mother  with  her  seven  sons  suffered  mar¬ 
tyrdom  at  the  hands  of  the  Emperor.  The  sons,  when 
ordered  by  the  latter  to  do  homage  to  the  idols  of  the  Em¬ 
pire,  declined,  and  justified  their  disobedience  by  quoting 
each  a  simple  text  from  the  sacred  Scriptures.  When  the 
seventh  was  brought  forth,  it  is  related  that  Caesar,  for  ap¬ 
pearance’  sake,  offered  to  spare  him  if  only  he  would 
stoop  and  pick  up  a  ring  from  the  ground  which  had  been 
dropped  on  purpose.  (<  Alas  for  thee,  O  Caesar  !  ”  answered 
the  boy  ;  (<  if  thou  art  so  zealous  for  thine  honor,  how 
much  more  zealous  ought  we  to  be  for  the  honor  of  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  ”  On  his  being  led  away  to 
the  place  of  execution,  the  mother  craved  and  obtained 
leave  to  give  him  a  farewell  kiss.  <(  Go,  my  child,”  said 
she,  <(  and  say  to  Abraham,  Thou  didst  build  an  altar  for 
the  sacrifice  of  one  son,  but  I  have  erected  altars  for  seven 
sons.”  She  then  turned  away  and  threw  herself  down 
headlong  from  the  roof  and  expired,  when  the  echo  of  a 
voice  was  heard  exclaiming  (Ps.  cxiii.  9),  <(The  joyful 
mother  of  children”  (or,  the  mother  of  the  children  re- 
joiceth).  Gittin ,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

The  story  of  this  martyrdom  is  narrated  at  much  greater  length  in 
the  Books  of  Maccabees  (Book  iii.  chap.  7,  Book  iv.  chaps.  8-18). 
In  a  Latin  version  the  names  are  given,  that  of  the  mother  Solomona, 
and  her  sons  respectively  Maccabeus,  Aber,  Machir,  Judas,  Achaz, 
Areth,  while  the  hero  of  our  Talmudic  reference,  the  seventh  and 
last,  is  styled  Jacob.  Josephus,  Ant.,  Book  xii.  chap.  6,  sec.  4,  may 
also  be  referred  to  for  further  and  varying  details. 


THE  TALMUD 


95 


The  land  of  Israel  was  not  destroyed  till  the  seven 
courts  of  judgment  had  fallen  into  idolatry,  and  these  are 
they: — Jeroboam,  the  son  of  Nebat ;  Baasha,  the  son  of 
Ahijah  ;  Ahab,  the  son  of  Omri ;  Jehu,  the  son  of  Nimshi ; 
Pekah,  the  son  of  Remaliah  ;  Menahem,  the  son  of  Gadi  ; 
and  Hoshea,  the  son  of  Blah;  as  it  is  written  (Jer.  xv.  9), 
<(  She  that  hath  borne  seven  languisheth  :  she  hath  given 
up  the  ghost ;  her  sun  is  gone  down  while  it  is  yet  day  ; 
she  hath  been  ashamed  and  confounded. 

Gittin ,  fob  88,  cob  1. 

<(  He  stood  and  measured  the  earth  ;  he  beheld  and  freed 
the  Gentitles  (A.  V.,  he  drove  asunder  the  nations,  Hab. 
iii.  6)  ;  he  beheld  that  the  seven  precepts  which  the  chil¬ 
dren  of  Noah  accepted  were  not  observed  ;  he  stood  up 
and  set  their  property  free  for  the  service  of  Israel.® 

Bava  Kama ,  fob  38,  cob  1. 

This  is  one  of  the  weightier  expositions  met  with  from  time  to 
time  in  the  Talmud,  in  which  one  recognizes  a  more  than  ordinarily 
deep  and  earnest  feeling  on  the  part  of  the  commentator.  The  inter¬ 
preter  expresses  himself  as  a  man  instinct  with  the  exclusive  Hebrew 
spirit,  and  as  such  claims  his  title  to  the  whole  inheritance.  It  is  a 
claim  abstractly  defensible,  and  the  just  assertion  of  it  is  the  basis  of 
all  rights  over  others.  The  only  question  here  is  whether  the  Jew 
alone  is  invested  with  the  privilege.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that 
the  principle  on  which  he  claims  enfeoffment  in  the  estate  is  a  sound 
one,  that  the  earth  belongs  in  no  case  to  the  sons  of  Belial,  only  to 
the  sons  of  God. 

Seven  things  distinguish  an  ill-bred  man  and  seven  a 
wise  man  :  —  The  wise  man  ( 1 . )  does  not  talk  before  his 
superior  in  wisdom  and  years;  (2.)  he  does  not  interrupt 
another  when  speaking  ;  (3.)  he  is  not  hasty  to  make  reply  ; 
(4.)  his  questions  are  to  the  point,  and  his  answers  are  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  Halachah  ;  (5.)  his  subjects  of  discourse  are 
orderly  arranged,  the  first  subject  first  and  the  last  last  ; 
(6.)  if  he  has  not  heard  of  a  thing,  he  says,  I  have  not 
heard  it;  and  (7.)  he  confesseth  the  truth.  The  character¬ 
istics  of  the  ill-bred  man  are  just  the  contrary  of  these. 

Avotk,  chap.  5,  mish.  10. 

If  a  man  does  not  work  during  the  six  days  of  the  week, 
he  may  be  obliged  to  work  all  the  seven. 

Avoth  d' Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  11. 


96 


THE  TALMUD 


Seven  have  no  portion  in  the  world  to  come  :  —  A  notary, 
a  schoolmaster,  the  best  of  physicians,  a  judge  who  dis¬ 
penses  justice  in  his  own  native  town,  a  wizard,  a  congre¬ 
gational  reader  (or  law-officer),  and  a  butcher. 

Avoth  d  Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  37. 

Seven  attributes  avail  before  the  Throne  of  Glory,  and 
these  are: — Wisdom,  righteousness,  judgment,  grace,  mercy, 
truth,  and  peace.  Ibid.,  chap.  36. 

There  are  seven  points  in  which  a  righteous  man  excels 
another:  —  (1.)  The  wdfe  of  the  one  is  more  comely  than 
the  other’s;  (2.)  so  are  the  children  of  the  one  as  com¬ 
pared  with  those  of  the  other;  (3.)  if  the  two  partake 
of  one  dish,  each  enjoys  the  taste  according  to  his  doings  ; 
(4.)  if  the  two  dye  in  one  vat,  by  one  the  article  is  dyed 
properly,  by  the  other  not;  (5,  etc.)  the  one  excels  the 
other  in  wisdom,  in  understanding,  in  knowledge,  and  stature, 
as  it  is  said  (Prov.  xii.  26),  <(The  righteous  is  more  excellent 
than  his  neighbor. w  Ibid.,  chap.  37. 

Seven  patriarchs  were  covenant-makers  :  —  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  Moses,  Aaron,  Phinehas,  and  David. 

Derech  Eretz  Zuta ,  chap.  1. 

Seven  liquids  are  comprehended  under  the  generic  term 
drink  (Lev.  xi.  34):  —  Dew,  water,  wine,  oil,  blood,  milk, 
and  honey.  Machshirin ,  chap.  6,  mish  6. 

For  tertian  fever  take  seven  small  grapes  from  seven  dif¬ 
ferent  vines  ;  .seven  threads  from  seven  different  pieces  of 
cloth  ;  seven  nails  from  seven  different  bridges  ;  seven  hand¬ 
fuls  of  ashes  from  seven  different  fireplaces  ;  seven  bits  of 
pitch  from  seven  ships,  one  piece  from  each  ;  seven  scrap¬ 
ings  of  dust  from  as  many  separate  doorways  ;  seven  cum¬ 
min  seeds ;  seven  hairs  from  the  lower  jaw  of  a  dog  and 
tie  them  upon  the  throat  with  a  paprus  fibre. 

Shabbath,  fob  66,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  teach  that  the  precept  relating  to  the  light¬ 
ing  of  a  candle  at  the  Feast  of  Dedication  applies  to  a  whole 
household,  but  that  those  who  are  particular  light  a  can¬ 
dle  for  each  individual  member,  and  those  that  are  ex¬ 
tremely  particular  light  up  eight  candles  on  the  first  day, 
seven  on  the  second,  decreasing  the  number  by  one  each 


THE  TALMUD 


97 


day.  This  is  according  to  the  school  of  Shammai ;  but  the 
school  of  Hillel  say  that  he  should  light  up  one  on  the  first 
day,  two  on  the  second,  increasing  the  number  by  one  each 
of  the  eight  days  of  the  fast.  .  .  .  What  is  the  origin 

of  the  feast  of  Dedication  ?  On  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  Kislev 
(about  December),  the  eight  days  of  the  Dedication  com¬ 
mence,  during  which  term  no  funeral  oration  is  to  be  made, 
nor  public  fast  to  be  decreed.  When  the  Gentiles  (Greeks) 
entered  the  .second  Temple,  it  was  thought  they  had  defiled 
all  the  holy  oil  they  found  in  it  ;  but  when  the  Hasmone- 
ans  prevailed  and  conquered  them,  they  sought  and  found 
still  one  jar  of  oil  stamped  with  the  seal  of  the  High  Priest, 
and  therefore  undefiled.  Though  the  oil  it  contained  would 
only  have  sufficed  for  one  day,  a  miracle  was  performed,  so 
that  the  oil  lasted  to  the  end  of  the  week  (during  which 
time  more  oil  was  provided  and  consecrated  for  the  future 
service  of  the  Temple).  On  the  anniversary  of  this  occa¬ 
sion  the  Feast  of  Dedication  was  instituted. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

The  Feast  of  Dedication  is  annually  celebrated  by  all  Jews  every¬ 
where,  to  commemorate  the  purifying  of  the  Temple  and  the  restora¬ 
tion  of  its  worship  after  its  desecration  by  Antiochus  Fpiphanes,  of 
which  an  account  may  be  found  in  1  Maccabees  iv.  52-59.  It  is  very 
probable  that  some  of  our  Christmas  festivities  are  only  adaptations  of 
the  observances  of  this  Jewish  feast  in  symbolism  of  Christian  ideas. 
During  the  eight  days  of  the  festival  they  light  up  wax  candles  or  oil 
lamps,  according  to  the  rubric  of  the  school  of  Hillel.  Previous  to  the 
lighting,  the  following  benedictions  are  pronounced  :  — 

<(  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  our  God !  King  of  the  universe,  who 
hath  sanctified  us  with  Thy  commandment,  and  commanded  us  to 
light  the  light  of  Dedication.  ® 

«  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  our  God !  King  of  the  universe,  who 
wrought  miracles  for  our  fathers  in  those  days  and  in  this  sea¬ 
son  !» 

<(  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  Our  God!  King  of  the  universe,  who  hath 
preserved  us  alive,  sustained  us,  and  brought  us  to  enjoy  this  season. w 

After  the  lighting,  the  following  form  is  repeated  :  — <(  These  lights 
we  light  to  praise  Thee  for  the  miracles,  wonders,  salvation,  and  vic¬ 
tories  which  Thou  didst  perform  for  our  fathers  in  those  days  and  in 
this  season  by  the  hands  of  Thy  holy  priests.  Wherefore  by  com¬ 
mand  these  lights  are  holy  all  the  eight  days  of  the  Dedication, 
neither  are  we  permitted  to  make  any  other  use  of  them,  but  to  view 
them,  that  we  may  return  thanks  to  Thy  name  for  Thy  miracles,  won¬ 
derful  works,  and  salvation. w 

7 


98 


THE  TALMUD 


Another  commemorative  formula  is  repeated  six  or  seven  times  a 
day  during  this  festival  ;  viz,  daring  morning  and  evening  prayers 
and  after  each  meal. 

Rabbi  Yoshua  ben  Eevi  has  said  a  man  should  never  ut¬ 
ter  an  indecent  word,  for  the  Scripture  (Gen.  vii.  6)  uses 
eight  letters  more  rather  than  make  use  of  a  word  which, 
without  them,  would  be  indecent. 

P' sachim,  fol.  3,  col.  1. 

In  the  passage  referred  to,  the  words  <(  that  are  not  clean })  are  used 
instead  of  <(  unclean )}  ;  but  see  verse  2  ;  there  another  word  for  not 
is  used,  which  brings  down  the  excess  to  five  letters. 

When  the  doors  of  the  Temple  were  opened  the  creaking 
of  the  hinges  was  heard  at  the  distance  of  eight  Sabbath 
days’  journeys.  Yoma,  fol.  39,  cob  2. 

It  may  be  proper  to  remark  that  the  journey  is  about  nine  fur¬ 
longs,  or  a  mile  and  one-eighth,  so  that  the  distance  alluded  to  is 
nearly  ten  miles. 

The  eight  princes  alluded  to  in  Micah  (v.  5)  are  Jesse, 
Saul,  Samuel,  Amos,  Zephaniah,  Zedekiah,  the  Messiah, 
and  Elijah.  Succah ,  fob  52,  cob  2. 

It  is  related  of  Rabbi  Shimon,  the  son  of  Gamaliel,  that 
at  the  rejoicing  during  the  festival  of  the  drawing  of  water 
on  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  he  threw  eight  flaming 
torches,  one  after  the  other  in  quick  succession,  into  the 
air,  and  caught  them  again  as  they  descended  without  suf¬ 
fering  one  to  touch  another.  He  also  (in  fulfillment  of  Ps. 
cii.  14)  stooped  and  kissed  the  stone  floor,  supporting  him¬ 
self  upon  his  two  thumbs  only, —  a  feat  which  no  one  else 
could  perform.  And  this  is  what  is  termed  stooping 
properly.  Ibid.,  fob  53,  cob  1. 

Levi  once  in  the  presence  of  Rabbi  (the  Holy)  conjured 
with  eight  knives.  Samuel  in  the  presence  of  Shavur  the 
king  (of  Persia,  Sapor  1,  240-273)  performed  the  same  feat 
with  eight  cups  of  wine.  Abaii  in  the  presence  of  Rava 
did  likewise  with  eight  eggs ;  some  say  with  four  only. 

Ibid. 

Eight  prophets,  who  were  priests  as  well,  were  descended 
from  Rahab  the  harlot,  and  these  are  they:  —  Neraiah, 
Baruch,  Seraiah,  Maaseiah,  Jeremiah,  Hilkiah,  Hanameel, 


THE  TALMUD 


99 


and  Shallum.  Rabbi  Yehudah  says  Huldah  the  prophetess 
was  one  of  the  grandchildren  of  Rahab. 

Meggillah ,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 

The  last  eight  verses  of  the  Law  (Torah)  were  written 
by  Joshua.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

There  is  a  touching  story  in  this  very  same  tract,  fol.  15,  col.  1, 
which  is  repeated  in  Menachoth,  fol.  30,  col.  1,  and  noticed  by 
Rashi  in  his  commentary,  to  the  effect  that  Moses  himself  wrote  the 
verses  which  record  his  own  death  at  the  dictation  of  the  Almighty. 
The  account  literally  rendered  is,  <(  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  ! 
—  spake,  and  Moses  wrote  in  tears. 

There  are  eight  sects  of  Pharisees,  viz,  these: — (1.) 
The  shoulder  Pharisee,  i.  e .,  he  who,  as  it  were,  shoulders 
his  good  works  to  be  seen  of  men.  (2.)  The  time-gaining 
Pharisee,  he  who  says,  <(  Wait  a  while ;  let  me  first  perform 
this  or  that  good  work.”  (3.)  The  compounding  Pharisee, 

1.  e . ,  he  who  says,  <(  May  my  few  sins  be  deducted  from 

my  many  virtues,  and  thus  atoned  for”  (or  the  blood¬ 
letting  Pharisee,  i.  e.y  he  who  for  fear  lest  he  should  look 
by  chance  on  a  woman  shuts  his  eyes  and  wounds  his 
face).  (4.)  The  Pharisee  who  so  bends  his  back,  stooping 
with  his  head  toward  the  ground,  that  he  wears  the  ap¬ 
pearance  of  an  inverted  mortar.  (5.)  The  Pharisee  who 
proudly  says,  <(  Remains  there  a  virtue  which  I  ought  to 
perform  and  have  not?”  (6.)  The  Pharisee  who  is  so  out 
of  love  for  the  reward  which  he  hopes  to  earn  by  his  ob¬ 
servances.  (7.)  The  Pharisee  who  is  so  from  fear  lest  he 
should  expose  himself  to  punishment.  (8.)  The  Pharisee 
who  is  born  so.  Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  37. 

Both  Talmuds  as  a  rule  enumerate  only  seven  sorts  of  Pharisees 
(T.  Yerush,  Berachoth,  fol.  13,  Soteh,  fol.  20,  T.  Babli,  fol.  22,  col. 

2,  and  elsewhere)  ;  but  Rabbi  Nathan,  as  above,  adds  a  new  species 
to  the  genus.  The  freehand  sketches  of  Pharisees  given  in  the  Tal¬ 
mud  are  the  reverse  of  complimentary.  In  the  words  of  the  late  K. 
Deutsch,  who  was  a  Talmudist  of  no  mean  repute,  <(The  Talmud  in¬ 
veighs  even  more  bitterly  and  caustically  than  the  New  Testament 
against  what  it  calls  <the  plague  of  Pharisaism,*  <the  dyed  ones.* 
( who  do  evil  deeds  like  Zimri,  and  require  a  goodly  reward  like 
Phinehas,*  < they  who  preach  beautifully,  but  do  not  act  beautifully.* 
Parodying  their  exaggerated  logical  arrangements,  their  scrupulous 
divisions  and  subdivisions,  the  Talmud  distinguishes  seven  classes 


IOO 


THE  TALMUD 


of  Pharisees,  one  of  whom  only  is  worthy  of  that  name.  The  real 
and  only  Pharisee  is  he  (who  does  the  will  of  his  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  because  he  loves  Him.*  » 

He  who  neglects  to  wear  phylacteries  transgresseth  eight 
commandments.  Menachoth ,  fol.  44,  col.  1. 

The  following  extract  states  the  occasion  when  the  wear¬ 
ing  of  phylacteries  was  prescribed  as  an  equivalent  that 
would  be  accepted  instead  of  the  observance  of  the  law  :  — 
<(  Rabbi  Eliezer  said  the  Israelites  complained  before  God 
one  day,  (  We  are  anxious  to  be  occupied  day  and  night  in 
the  law,  but  we  have  not  the  necessary  leisured  Then  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  said  to  them,  (  Perform  the 
commandment  of  the  phylacteries,  and  I  will  count  it  as  if 
you  were  occupied  day  and  night  in  the  law. >  ”  ( Yal- 

hut  Shimeoni . )  Phylacteries,  fringes,  and  Mezuzah,  these 
three  preserve  one  from  sin;  as  it  is  said  (Eccl.  iv.  2),  <(  A 
threefold  cord  is  not  quickly  broken  ;  ”  as  also  in  Ps.  xxxiv. 
7,  (<  The  angel  of  the  Eord  encampeth  about  them  that  fear 
Him,  and  delivereth  them.”  Ibid.,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 

The  harp  in  the  time  of  the  Messiah  will  have  eight 
strings;  as  it  is  written  (Ps.  xii.  1),  <(The  chief  musician 
upon  eight,”  etc.  Eirchin,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

On  the  ninth  day  of  the  month  Ab  (about  August)  both 
the  first  Temple  and  the  second  were  destroyed. 

Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  18,  col.  2. 

In  2  Kings  xxv.  8,  the  seventh  of  Ab  is  the  date  given  for  the  first 
of  these  events,  whereas  Jeremiah  (lii.  12)  mentions  the  tenth  as  the 
fatal  day.  Josephus  (Wars  of  the  Jews,  Book  vi.  chap.  4,  sec.  15) 
coincides  with  the  latter. 

On  the  ninth  of  Ab  one  must  abstain  from  eating  and 
drinking,  and  anointing  one’s  self,  and  wearing  shoes,  and 
matrimonial  intercourse.  He  may  not  read  the  Bible,  the 
Talmud,  the  Midrash,  the  Halachoth,  or  the  Haggadoth, 
excepting  such  portions  as  he  is  not  in  the  habit  of  read¬ 
ing,  such  he  may  then  read.  The  Lamentations,  Job,  and 
the  hard  words  of  Jeremiah  should  engage  his  study. 
Children  should  not  go  to  school  on  this  day,  because  it  is 
said  (Ps.  xix.  8),  (<  The  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right, 
rejoicing  the  heart.”  Taanith ,  fol.  30,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


IOI 


Nowadays,  on  the  date  referred  to,  Jews  do  not  wear  their  tallith 
and  phylacteries  at  morning  prayer ;  by  this  act  laying  aside  the  out¬ 
ward  signs  of  their  covenant  with  God  ;  but,  contrary  to  custom,  they 
put  them  on  in  the  evening,  when  the  fast  is  nearly  over. 

He  who  does  any  work  on  the  ninth  of  Ab  will  never 
see  even  a  sign  of  blessing.  The  sages  say,  whoso  does 
any  work  on  that  day  and  does  not  lament  over  Jeru¬ 
salem  will  never  see  her  joy;  for  it  is  said  (Isa.  lxvi.  io), 
<(  Rejoice  ye  -with  Jerusalem,  and  be  glad  with  her  ;  rejoice 
for  joy,  all  ye  that  mourn  for  her.” 

Taanith ,  fol.  30,  col.  2. 

If  there  be  nine  shops  all  selling  the  meat  of  animals 
which  have  been  legally  butchered,  and  one  selling  the 
meat  of  animals  which  have  not,  and  if  a  person  who  has 
bought  meat  does  not  know  at  -which  of  these  shops  he 
bought  it,  he  is  not  entitled  to  the  benefit  of  the  doubt ; 
the  meat  he  has  purchased  is  prohibited. 

Kethuboth ,  fol.  15,  cob  1. 

A  woman  prefers  one  measure  of  frivolity  to  nine  meas¬ 
ures  of  Pharisaic  sanctimoniousness.  Soteh ,  fob  20,  cob  1. 

The  Talmud  has  much  to  say,  and  does  say  a  great  deal, 
about  women.  And  although  what  it  says  tends  rather  to 
discountenance  than  to  promote  their  development,  it  is  not 
insensible  to  what  they  might  become  under  refinement  of 
culture,  and  occasionally  enforces  the  duty  of  attending  to 
their  higher  education.  In  proof  of  both  positions  we  ap¬ 
peal  to  the  following  quotations  :  — 

In  the  Mishna,  from  which  the  above  quotation  is  taken, 
we  are  told  that  Ben  Azai  (the  son  of  impudence)  says,  a 
man  is  bound  to  instruct  his  daughter  in  the  law,  although 
Rabbi  Eliezer,  who  always  assumes  an  oracular  air,  and 
boasts  that  the  Halachah  is  always  according  to  his  de¬ 
cision  ( Bava  Metzia ,  fob  59,  cob  2),  insists,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  he  who  instructs  his  daughter  in  the  law  must 
be  considered  as  training  her  into  habits  of  frivolity  ;  and 
the  saying  above  ascribes  to  the  sex  such  a  power  of  fri¬ 
volity  as  connects  itself  evidently  with  the  foregone  con¬ 
clusion  that  they  are  by  nature  incapable  of  being  developed 
into  any  solidity  of  worth  or  character.  The  Gemara, 


102 


THE  TALMUD 


Tosephoth,  and  Rashi  as  well  all  support  Rabbi  Eliezer  in 
laying  a  veto  on  female  education,  for  fear  lest,  with  the 
acquisition  of  knowledge,  women  might  become  cunning, 
and  do  things  on  the  sly  which  ought  not  to  be  done  by 
them.  Literally  the  saying  is:  —  For  from  it  (i.  e.,  the 
acquisition  of  knowledge)  she  comes  to  understand  cun¬ 
ning,  and  does  things  on  the  quiet. 

Soteh ,  fol.  21,  col.  2,  Rashi. 

Another  good  reason  for  neglecting  female  education 
those  who  take  the  Talmud  as  an  authority  find  in  these 
words:  women  are  light-minded,  i.  e .,  of  shallow  natural 
endowment,  on  which  any  serious  discipline  would  be  thrown 
away.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  8o,  cob  2. 

Another  argument  to  the  same  effect  is,  that  there  is  no 
distinct  command  in  the  law  of  Moses  inculcating  the 
duty  ;  for  in  Deut.  xi.  19  it  is  merely  said,  (<  And  ye  shall 
teach  them  to  your  children,  ®  a  command  which,  as  it 
passes  refracted  through  the  Rabbinic  medium,  becomes 
your  sons,  but  not  your  daughters.  Ibid.,  fob  29,  cob  2. 

\ 

As  the  immediately  preceding  command,  so  interpreted, 
cannot  be  carried  out  by  any  one  not  favored  with  male 
children,  the  well-known  Talmudic  dictum  acquires  force 
and  point,  (<  Blessed  is  the  man  wThose  children  are  sons, 
but  luckless  is  he  whose  children  are  daughters.  w 

Bava  Bathra ,  fob  16,  cob  2. 

A  man  prefers  one  measure  obtained  by  his  own  earning 
to  nine  measures  collected  by  the  exertion  of  his  neighbor. 

Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  38,  col.  1. 

Nine  have  entered  alive  into  paradise,  and  these  are  they  : 
—  Enoch,  the  son  of  Jared;  Elijah;  the  Messiah;  Eliezer, 
the  servant  of  Abraham  ;  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre  ;  Ebed  Me- 
lech,  the  Ethiopian ;  Jabez,  the  son  of  Rabbi  Yehuda  the 
prince  ;  Bathia,  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  ;  and  Sarah,  the 
daughter  of  Asher.  Some  say  also  Rabbi  Yoshua,  the  son 
of  Levi.  Derech  Eretz  Zuta ,  chap.  1. 

As  the  last-mentioned  personage,  Rabbi  Yoshua,  entered  paradise 
«not  by  the  door,**  but  some  <(  other  way,**  it  may  be  interesting  to 
not  a  few  to  know  how  he  succeeded,  and  here  accordingly  we 


THE  TALMUD 


103 


append  the  story  of  the  feat.  As  Rabbi  Yoshua’s  earthly  career  drew 
to  a  close,  the  angel  of  death  was  instructed  to  wait  upon  him,  and 
at  the  same  time  show  all  respect  for  his  wishes.  The  Rabbi,  re¬ 
marking  the  courteous  demeanor  of  his  visitant,  requested  him,  before 
he  despatched  him,  to  favor  him  with  a  glimpse  of  the  place  he  was 
to  occupy  in  paradise  above,  and  meantime  commit  to  him  his  sword, 
as  a  gage  that  he  would  grant  his  petition  and  not  take  advantage  of 
him  on  the  journey.  This  request  being  granted  and  the  sword  de¬ 
livered  up,  the  Rabbi  and  his  attendant  took  the  road,  pacing  along 
till  they  halted  together  just  outside  the  gates  of  the  celestial  city. 
Here  the  angel  assisted  the  Rabbi  to  climb  the  wall,  and  proceeded  to 
point  out  the  place  he  would  occupy  some  day  in  the  future,  when 
deftly  throwing  himself  over,  he  left  the  angel  standing  outside  and 
holding  him  fast  by  the  skirt  of  his  garment.  When  pressed  to  re¬ 
turn,  he  swore  he  would  not  go  back,  protesting  that,  as  he  had 
never  sought  to  be  relieved  of  the  obligation  of  his  oath  on  earth,  he 
would  not  be  cajoled  or  coerced  into  an  act  of  perjury  within  the 
precincts  of  heaven.  He  declined  at  first  to  give  up  the  sword  of  the 
angel,  and  would  have  stood  to  his  point  but  for  the  echo  of  a  voice 
which  peremptorily  ordered  its  immediate  restoration.  (See  Kethuboth , 
fol.  77,  col.  2.) 

Where  is  it  taught  that  when  ten  join  together  in  prayer 
the  Shechinah  is  with  them  ?  In  Ps.  lxxxii.  1 ,  where  it  is 
said,  <(  God  standeth  in  the  congregation  of  the  mighty.  * 

Berachoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  1. 

According  to  Rabbinic  law,  it  takes  at  least  ten  men  to  constitute 
a  legally  convened  congregation.  Nearly  a  thousand  pounds  were  ex¬ 
pended  every  year  by  the  synagogues  of  the  metropolis  to  hire  (min- 
yan)  men  to  make  up  the  congregational  number,  and  thus  ensure 
the  due  observance  of  this  regulation. 

When  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  enters  the  syna¬ 
gogue,  and  does  not  find  ten  men  present,  His  anger  is 
immediately  stirred;  as  it  is  said  (Isa.  1.  2),  (<  Wherefore, 
when  I  came,  was  there  no  man?  When  I  called,  there 
was  none  to  answer  ?*  Ibid.,  fol.  6,  col.  2. 

The  passion  of  anger  here  ascribed  to  God  is  by  not  a  few  re¬ 
garded  as  an  attribute  wholly  alien  to  the  proper  nature  of  the  Deity. 
Such,  however,  is  evidently  not  the  judgment  of  the  Talmudists. 
Nor  is  this  surprising  when  we  see  elsewhere  how  boldly  they  con¬ 
ceive  and  how  freely  they  speak  of  the  Divine  Majesty.  The  Rabbis 
are  not  in  general  a  shamefaced  generation,  and  are  all  too  prone  to 
deal  familiarly  with  the  most  sacred  realities.  The  excerpts  which 
follow  amply  justify  this  judgment. 


104 


THE  TALMUD 


God  is  represented  as  roaring  like  a  lion,  etc.,  etc. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  3,  col.  1."  See  chap.  iii.  No.  1,  supra. 

God  is  said  to  wear  phylacteries.  Be?'achoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  1. 

This  is  referred  to  in  the  morning  service  for  Yom  Kip- 
pur,  where  it  is  said  He  showed  (<  the  knot  of  the  phylac¬ 
teries  to  the  meek  one  ”  (i.  e .,  Moses). 

He  is  said  to  pray;  for  it  is  written  (Isa.  lvi.  7),  ((Them 
will  I  bring  to  my  holy  mountain,  and  make  them  joyful 
in  the  house  of  my  prayer.”  It  is  thus  He  prays:  “May 
it  please  me  that  my  mercy  may  overcome  my  anger,  that  all 
my  attributes  may  be  invested  with  compassion,  and  that  I 
may  deal  with  my  children  in  the  attribute  of  kindness,  and 
that  out  of  regard  to  them  I  may  pass  by  judgment.  ” 

Ibid.7  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

He  is  a  respecter  of  persons ;  as  it  is  written  (Num.  vi. 
26),  “The  Lord  lift  up  His  countenance  upon  thee.” 

Ibid.)  fol.  20,  col.  2. 

When  accused  by  Elijah  of  having  turned  Israel's  heart 
back  again  (1  Kings  xviii.  37),  He  confesseth  the  evil  He 
had  done  (Micah  iv.  6).  Ibid .,  fol.  31,  col.  2. 

God,  when  charged  by  Moses  as  being  the  cause  of 
Israel’s  idolatry,  confesseth  the  justice  of  that  accusation 
by  saying  (Num.  xiv.  20),  “I  have  pardoned  according  to 
thy  word.”  Ibid. ,  fol.  32,  col.  1. 

He  drops  two  tears  into  the  ocean,  and  this  causes  the 
earth  to  quake.  Ibid . ,  fol.  59,  col.  1. 

He  is  represented  as  a  hairdresser ;  for  it  is  said  He 
plaited  Eve’s  hair  (and  some  have  actually  enumerated  the 
braids  as  700).  Eiruvin ,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

In  a  Hagada  (see  Sanhedrin,  fol.  95,  col.  2),  God  is  con¬ 
ceived  as  acting  the  barber  to  Sennacherib,  a  sort  of  parody 
on  Isaiah  vii.  20. 

He  is  said  to  have  created  the  evil  as  well  as  the  good 
passions  in  man.  Berachoth ,  fol.  61,  col.  1. 

God  weeps  every  day.  Chaggigah ,  fol.  3,  col.  2. 

He  dresses  Himself  in  a  veil  and  shows  Moses  the  Jew¬ 
ish  Liturgy,  saying  unto  him,  (<  When  the  Israelites  sin 


THE  TALMUD 


105 


against  me,  let  them  copy  this  example,  and  I  will  pardon 
their  sins.”  Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  17,  col.  2. 

God  is  said  to  have  regretted  creating  certain  things. 

Succah ,  fol.  52,  col.  2. 

God  is  represented  as  irrigating  the  land  of  Israel,  but 
leaving  the  rest  of  the  earth  to  be  watered  by  an  angel. 

Taanith ,  fol.  10,  col.  1. 

It  is  said  that  He  will  make  a  dance  for  the  righteous, 
and  as  He  places  Himself  in  the  centre,  they  will  point  at 
Him  with  their  fingers,  and  say  (Isa.  xxv.  9),  <(  Behold, 
this  is  our  God ;  we  have  waited  for  him ;  ...  we 

will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  His  salvation.” 

Ibid.,  fol.  31,  col.  i. 

God  is  said  to  have  prevaricated  in  making  peace  be¬ 
tween  Abraham  and  Sarah,  which  is  not  so  surprising;  for 
while  one  Rabbi  teaches  that  prevarication  is  under  certain 
circumstances  allowable,  another  asserts  it  absolutely  as  a 
duty;  for  it  is  written  (1  Sam.  xvi.  2),  (<And  Samuel  said, 
How  can  I  go?  if  Saul  hear  it,  he  will  kill  me.  And  the 
Lord  said,  Take  a  heifer  with  thee,  and  say,  I  am  come  to 
sacrifice  unto  the  Lord.”  Yevamoth ,  fol.  65,  col.  2. 

This  teaching  may  be  easily  matched  by  parallels  from  heathen  lit¬ 
erature,  but  we  have  room  only  for  two  or  three  examples  :  —  Maxi¬ 
mus  Tyrius  says,  <(  There  is  nothing  (essentially)  decorous  in  truth, 
yea,  truth  is  sometimes  hurtful  and  lying  profitable. »  Darius  is  repre¬ 
sented  by  Herodotus  (Book  iii. ,  p.  191)  as  saying,  (<When  telling  false¬ 
hood  is  profitable,  let  it  be  told.^  Menander  says,  (<A  lie  is  better 
than  an  annoying  truth. ® 

God  utters  a  curse  against  those  who  remain  single  after 
they  are  twenty  years  of  age  ;  and  those  who  marry  at  six¬ 
teen  please  him,  and  those  who  do  so  at  fourteen  still  more. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  29,  col.  2. 

Elijah  binds  and  God  flogs  the  man  who  marries  an  un¬ 
suitable  wife.  Ibid.,  fol.  70,  col.  1. 

God  acknowledges  His  weakness  in  argument,  (<  My 
children  have  vanquished  me  !  my  children  have  vanquished 
me!”  He  exclaims.  (<  They  have  defeated  me  in  argument.” 

Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  59,  col.  2. 


io6 


THE  TALMUD 


God’s  decision  was  controverted  by  the  Academy  in 
heaven,  and  the  matter  in  debate  was  finally  settled  by  a 
Rabbi,  who  had  to  be  summoned  from  earth  to  heaven  ex¬ 
pressly  to  adjudicate  in  the  case. 

Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  86,  col.  i. 

The  classical  student  will  recognize  in  this  a  parallel  to  the  Greek 
myth  in  which  the  Olympian  divinities  refer  their  debate  in  the  mat¬ 
ter  of  the  apple  of  discord  to  the  judgment  of  Paris.  May  there  not 
in  both  fables  lie  a  dim  forefeeling  of  the  time  when  Justice  shall 
transfer  her  seat  from  the  skies,  so  that  whatever  her  ministers  bind 
on  earth  may  be  bound  in  heaven? 

God  will  bear  testimony  before  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  that  His  people  Israel  have  kept  the  whole  of  the 
law.  Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  3,  col.  1. 

God  is  occupied  for  twelve  hours  every  day  in  study,  at 
work,  or  at  play.  Ibid .,  fol.  3,  cob  2. 

God  does  not  act  without  first  consulting  the  assembly 
above;  as  it  is  said  (Dan.  iv.  17),  <(This  matter  is  by  the 
decree  of  the  watchers  and  the  demand  of  the  word  of  the 
Holy  One,”  etc.  Sanhedrin ,  fob  38,  cob  2. 

God  Himself  is  described  as  exacting  an  atonement  for  His 
own  miscreations ;  as,  for  instance,  His  diminishing  the 
size  of  the  moon.  Shevuoth ,  fob  9,  cob  1. 

The  general  height  of  the  Uevites  was  ten  ells. 

Shabbath ,  fob  92,  cob  1. 

Ten  things  cause  hemorrhoids  :  —  Bating  cane  leaves,  the 
foliage  and  tendrils  of  the  vine,  the  palate  of  cattle,  the 
backbones  of  fish,  half-cooked  salt  fish,  wine  lees,  etc. 

Berachoth,  fob  55,  cob  1. 

Ten  things  provoke  a  desperate  relapse  in  a  convales¬ 
cent : —  Bating  beef,  fat  meat,  broiled  meat,  fowl,  or  roasted 
eggs,  shaving,  eating  cress,  taking  milk  or  cheese,  or  in¬ 
dulging  in  a  bath.  Some  say  also  eating  walnuts,  others 
say  eating  cucumbers,  which  are  as  dangerous  to  the  body 
as  swords.  Ibid. ,  fob  57,  cob  2. 

Ten  curses  were  pronounced  against  Bve  :  —  The  words 
<(  greatly  multiply,”  <(  thy  sorrow”  (alluding  to  rearing  a 
family),  <(  thy  conception,”  <(in  sorrow  shalt  thou  bring 


THE  TALMUD 


107 


forth, ”  <(  thy  desire  shall  be  to  thy  husband,”  <(  he  shall 
rule  over  thee,  *  express  six  of  these.  The  remainder  are  : 
—  She  should  be  wrapped  up  like  a  mourner  (that  is,  she 
should  not  appear  in  public  without  having  her  head  cov¬ 
ered);  she  was  restricted  to  one  husband,  though  he  might 
have  more  wives  than  one,  and  was  to  be  kept  within 
doors  like  a  prisoner.  Eiruvin ,  fol.  100,  col.  2. 

Ten  things  were  created  during  the  twilight  of  the  first 
Sabbath-eve.  These  were:  —  The  well  that  followed  Israel 
in  the  wilderness,  the  manna,  the  rainbow,  the  letters  of 
the  alphabet,  the  stylus,  the  tables  of  the  law,  the  grave 
of  Moses,  the  cave  in  which  Moses  and  Elijah  stood,  the 
opening  of  the  mouth  of  Balaam’s  ass,  the  opening  of  the 
earth  to  swallow  the  wicked  (Korah  and  his  clique).  Rav 
Nechemiah  said,  in  his  father’s  name,  also  fire  and  the 
mule.  Rav  Yosheyah,  in  his  father’s  name,  added  also  the 
ram  which  Abraham  offered  up  instead  of  Isaac,  and  the 
Shameer.  Rav  Yehudah  says  the  tongs  also,  etc. 

P  sachim,  fol.  54,  col.  1. 

To  the  ten  things  said  to  have  been  created  on  Sabbath- 
eve  some  add  the  rod  of  Aaron  that  budded  and  bloomed, 
and  others  malignant  demons  and  the  garments  of  Adam. 

Ibid. 

Rav  Yehuda  said,  in  the  name  of  Rav,  ten  things  were 
created  on  the  first  day: — Heaven  and  earth,  chaos  and 
confusion,  light  and  darkness,  wind  and  water,  the  meas¬ 
ure  of  day  and  the  measure  of  night.  <(  Heaven  and 
earth, ®  for  it  is  written,  <(  In  the  beginning  God  made  the 
heavens  and  the  earth. ®  <(  Chaos  and  confusion, ®  for  it  is 

written,  <(  And  the  earth  was  chaos  and  confusion.  * 
(<  Eight  and  darkness, ®  for  it  is  written,  (( And  darkness 
wras  upon  the  face  of  the  abyss.  ®  <(  Wind  and  water,”  for 

it  is  written,  (<The  wind  of  God  hovered  over  the  face  of 
the  waters.  ”  (<  The  measure  of  day  and  the  measure  of 
night, ”  for  it  is  written,  (<  Morning  and  evening  were  one 
day.®  Chaggigah ,  fol.  12,  col.  1. 

Ten  facts  witness  to  the  presence  of  a  supernatural 
power  in  the  Temple  :  —  No  premature  birth  was  ever 
caused  by  the  odor  of  the  sacrifices  ;  the  carcasses  never 


io8 


THE  TALMUD 


became  putrid  ;  no  fly  was  ever  to  be  seen  in  the 
slaughter-houses  ;  the  high-priest  was  never  defiled  on  the 
day  of  atonement  ;  no  defect  was  ever  found  in  the  wave- 
sheaf,  the  two  wave-loaves,  or  the  shewbread ;  however 
closely  crowded  the  people  were,  every  one  had  room 
enough  for  prostration  ;  no  serpent  or  scorpion  ever  stung 
a  person  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  no  one  had  ever  to  pass  the 
night  without  sleeping-accommodation  in  the  city. 

Yo?na,  fob  21,  col.  1. 

Tradition  teaches  that  Rabbi  Yossi  said  :  —  The  She- 
chinah  has  never  descended  below,  nor  did  Moses  and 
Elijah  ever  ascend  on  high;  for  it  is  said  (Ps.  cxv.  16), 
<(The  heavens,  even  the  heavens,  are  the  Eords;  but  the 
earth  hath  he  given  to  the  children  of  men.®  True,  it  is 
written,  he  admitted  (Exod.  xix.  20),  (<  And  the  Eord 

came  down  upon  Mount  Sinai  ;  })  but  that,  he  remarked,  was 
ten  handbreadths  above  the  summit.  And  true,  too,  is  it 
written  (Zech.  xiv.  4) ,  <(  And  His  feet  shall  stand  in  that 
day  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives  ;  but  that,  too,  he  added, 
is  ten  handbreadths  above  it.  And  so,  in  like  manner, 
Moses  and  Elijah  halted  ten  handbreadths  from  heaven. 

Succah ,  fol.  5,  cob  1. 

What  entitles  a  place  to  rank  as  a  large  town  ?  When 
there  are  in  it  ten  unemployed  men.  Should  there  be  fewer 
than  that  number,  it  is  to  be  looked  upon  as  a  village. 

Meggillah ,  fob  3,  cob  2. 

In  places  where  there  are  not  ten  Batlanim,  men  of  leisure,  that 
is,  men  always  free  to  be  present  at  every  synagogue  service,  a 
minyan  (number)  has  to  be  hired  for  the  purpose.  The  notion  that 
ten  constitutes  a  congregation  is  based  on  the  authority  of  Num.  xiv, 
27,  «How  long  shall  I  bear  with  this  congregation  ? »  As  the  term 
(<  congregation  })  here  refers  to  the  ten  spies  who  brought  the  evil  re¬ 
port,  it  is  concluded  forsooth  that  ten  men,  and  never  less,  is  the 
orthodox  minimum  for  a  congregation. 

Ten  lights,  said  he,  could  not  extinguish  one  ;  how  shall 
one  extinguish  ten?  Ibid. ,  fob  16,  cob  2. 

These  words  are  said  to  have  been  spoken  by  Joseph  to  his  breth¬ 
ren,  who,  after  the  death  of  their  father  Jacob,  feared  lest  Joseph 
should  revenge  himself  upon  them  (Gen.  1.  21).  The  Midrash  and 
the  Targums  as  usual  furnish  much  additional  information. 


THE  TALMUD 


109 


Rav  Assi  said: — Nowadays,  if  a  Gentile  should  betroth 
a  Jewess,  there  is  reason  for  regarding  the  betrothal  as  not 
therefore  invalid,  for  he  may  be  a  descendant  of  the  ten 
tribes,  and  so  one  of  the  seed  of  Israel. 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  said  :  —  If,  after  the  death  of  her  hus¬ 
band,  a  woman  should  remain  unmarried  for  ten  years  and 
then  marry  again,  she  will  have  no  children.  Rav  Nach¬ 
man  added  :  —  Provided  she  have  not  thought  of  marrying 
all  the  while ;  but  if  she  had  thought  of  marrying  again,  in 
that  case  she  will  have  children.  Rava  once  said  to  Rav 
Chisda’s  daughter  (who  bore  children  to  Rava,  though  she 
did  not  marry  him  until  ten  years  after  her  first  husband’s 
death),  <(  The  Rabbis  have  their  doubts  about  you.’*  She 
replied,  (<  I  had  always  set  my  heart  upon  thee. A  wo¬ 
man  once  said  to  Rav  Yoseph,  <(  I  waited  ten  years  before 
I  married  again,  and  then  I  had  children. w  <(  Daughter,  }> 
said  he,  (<  do  not  bring  the  words  of  the  wise  into  dis¬ 
credit.  It  is  thou,  not  they,  that  are  mistaken. ®  Then  the 
-woman  confessed  that  she  had  been  a  transgressor. 

Ibid.,  fol.  34,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  teach  that  if  a  man  live  with  a  wife  ten 
years  without  issue  he  should  divorce  her  and  give  her  the 
prescribed  marriage  portion,  as  he  may  not  be  deemed 
worthy  to  be  built  up  by  her  (that  is,  to  have  children  by 
her).  Ibid.,  fol.  64,  col.  2. 

As  a  set-off  we  append  here  a  romantic  story  paraphrased  from  the 
Midrash  Shir  Hashirim.  A  certain  Israelite  of  Sidon,  having  lived 
many  years  with  his  wife  without  being  blessed  with  offspring,  made 
up  his  mind  to  give  her  a  bill  of  divorcement.  They  went  accord¬ 
ingly  together  to  Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai,  that  legal  effect  might 
be  given  to  the  act  of  separation.  Upon  presenting  themselves  before 
him,  the  Rabbi  addressed  them  in  these  fatherly  accents  :  — (( My 
children, »  said  he,  (<your  divorce  must  not  take  place  in  pettishness 
or  anger,  lest  people  should  surmise  something  guilty  or  disgraceful 
as  the  motive  for  the  action.  Let  your  parting,  therefore,  be  like 
your  meeting,  friendly  and  cheerful.  Go  home,  make  a  feast,  and 
invite  your  friends  to  share  it  with  you  ;  and  then  to-morrow  return 
and  I  will  ratify  the  divorce  you  seek  for.**  Acting  upon  this  advice, 
they  went  home,  got  ready  a  feast,  invited  their  friends,  and  made 
merry  together.  <(  My  dear,**  said  the  husband  at  length  to  his  wife, 
<(  we  have  lived  for  many  a  long  year  lovingly  together,  and  now  that 


IIO 


THE  TALMUD 


we  are  about  to  be  separated,  it  is  not  because  there  is  any  ill-will 
between  us,  but  simply  because  we  are  not  blessed  with  a  family.  In 
proof  that  my  love  is  unchanged,  and  that  I  wish  thee  all  good,  I 
give  thee  leave  to  choose  whatever  thou  likest  best  in  the  house  and 
carry  it  away  with  thee.”  The  wife  with  true  womanly  wit  promptly 
replied,  (<  Well  and  good,  my  dear  ! ”  The  evening  thereafter  glided 
pleasantly  by,  the  wine-cup  went  round  freely  and  without  stint,  and 
all  passed  off  well,  till  first  the  guests  one  by  one,  and  then  the 
master  of  the  house  himself,  fell  asleep,  and  lay  buried  in  unconscions- 
ness.  The  lady,  who  had  planned  this  result,  and  only  waited  its 
wtfz^w^w/^immediately  summoned  her  confidential  handmaids  and  had 
her  lord  and  master  gently  borne  away  as  he  was  to  the  house  of  her 
father.  On  the  following  morning,  as  the  stupor  wore  off,  he  awoke, 
rubbing  his  eyes  with  astonishment.  (<  Where  am  I?”  he  cried.  <(Be 
easy,  husband  dear,”  responded  the  wife  in  his  presence.  <(I  have 
only  done  as  thou  allowedst  me.  Dost  thou  remember  permitting  me 
last  night,  in  the  hearing  of  our  guests,  to  take  away  from  our  house 
whatever  best  pleased  me?  There  was  nothing  there  I  cared  for  so 
much  as  thyself  ;  thou  art  all  in  all  to  me,  so  I  brought  thee  with 
me  here.  Where  I  am  there  shalt  thou  be ;  let  nothing  but  death 
part  us.”  The  two  thereupon  went  back  to  Rabbi  Shimon  as  ap¬ 
pointed,  and  reported  their  change  of  purpose,  and  that  they  had  made 
up  their  minds  to  remain  united.  So  the  Rabbi  prayed  for  them  to  the 
Lord,  who  couples  and  setteth  the  single  in  families.  He  then  spoke 
his  blessing  over  the  wife,  who  became  thenceforth  as  a  fruitful  vine, 
and  honored  her  husband  with  children  and  children’s  children. 

A  parallel  to  this,  illustrative  of  wifely  devotion,  is  recorded  in  the 
early  history  of  Germany.  In  the  year  1141,  during  the  civil  war  in 
Germany  between  the  Guelphs  and  the  Ghibellines,  it  happened  that 
the  Emperor  Conrad  besieged  the  Guelph  Count  of  Bavaria  in  the 
Castle  of  Weinsberg.  After  a  long  and  obstinate  defense  the  garrison 
was  obliged  at  length  to  surrender,  when  the  Emperor,  annoyed  that 
they  had  held  out  so  long  and  defied  him,  vowed  that  he  would  de¬ 
stroy  the  place  with  fire  and  put  all  to  the  sword  except  the  women, 
whom  he  gallantly  promised  to  let  go  free  and  pass  out  unmolested. 
The  Guelph  Countess,  when  she  heard  of  this,  begged  as  a  further 
favor  that  the  women  might  be  allowed  to  bear  forth  as  much  of 
their  valuables  as  they  could  severally  manage  to  carry.  The  Emperor 
having  pledged  his  word  and  honor  that  he  would  grant  this  request, 
on  the  morrow  at  daybreak,  as  the  castle  gates  opened,  he  saw  to  his 
amazement  the  women  file  out  one  by  one,  every  married  woman 
carrying  her  husband  with  her  young  ones  upon  her  back,  and  the 
others  each  the  friend  or  relation  nearest  and  dearest  to  her.  At  sight 
of  this,  the  Emperor  was  tenderly  moved,  and  could  not  help  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  action  the  homage  of  his  admiration.  The  result  was 
that  not  only  was  life  and  liberty  extended  to  the  Guelphs,  but  the 
place  itself  was  spared  and  restored  in  perpetuity  to  its  heroic  de¬ 
fenders.  The  Count  and  his  Countess  were  henceforth  treated  by  the 


THE  TALMUD 


hi 


Emperor  with  honor  and  affection,  and  the  town  itself  was  for  long 
after  popularly  known  by  the  name  of  Weibertreue,  i.  e.,  the  abode 
of  womanly  fidelity. 

Benedictory  condolences  are  recited  by  ten  men,  not 
reckoning  the  mourners ;  but  nuptial  blessings  are  recited 
by  ten  men,  including  the  bridegroom. 

Kethuboth ,  fol.  8.  col.  2. 

The  Mishnic  Rabbis  have  ordained  that  ten  cups  of  wine 
be  drunk  in  the  house  by  the  funeral  party  ;  three  before 
supper,  to  whet  the  appetite ;  three  during  supper,  to  aid 
digestion  ;  and  four  after  the  meal,  at  the  recitation  of  the 
four  benedictions.  Afterward  four  complimentary  cups 
were  added,  one  in  honor  of  the  precentors,  one  in  honor 
of  the  municipal  authorities,  another  in  remembrance  of  the 
Temple,  and  the  fourth  in  the  memory  of  Rabbon  Gamliel. 
Drunkenness  so  often  ensued  on  these  occasions  that  the 
number  had  to  be  curtailed  to  the  original  ten  cups.  The 
toast  to  the  memory  of  Rabbon  Gamliel  was  to  commemo¬ 
rate  his  endeavors  to  reduce  the  extravagant  expenses  at 
burials,  and  the  consequent  abandonment  of  the  dead  by 
poor  relations.  He  left  orders  that  his  own  remains  should 
be  buried  in  a  linen  shroud,  and  since  then,  says  Rav 
Pappa,  corpses  are  buried  in  canvas  shrouds  about  a  zouz 
in  value.  Ibid.,  fol.  8,  col.  2. 

At  the  age  of  ten  years  a  child  should  begin  to  study 
the  Mishna.  Ibid.,  fol.  50,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  the  Holy,  when  dying,  lifted  up  his  ten  fingers 
toward  heaven  and  said: — <(  Lord  of  the  Universe,  it  is 
open  and  well-known  unto  Thee  that  with  these  ten  fingers 
I  have  labored  without  ceasing  in  the  law,  and  never 
sought  after  any  worldly  profit  with  even  so  much  as  my 
little  finger;  may  it  therefore  please  Thee  that  there  may 
be  peace  in  my  rest  !  ”  A  voice  from  heaven  immediately 
responded  (Isa.  lvii.  2),  (<  He  shall  enter  peace:  they  shall 
rest  in  their  beds.”  Ibid.,  fol.  104,  col.  2. 

Ten  measures  of  wisdom  came  down  to  the  world  ;  the 
land  of  Israel  received  nine  and  the  rest  of  the  world  but 
one  only.  Ten  measures  of  beauty  came  down  to  the 
world ;  Jerusalem  monopolized  nine  and  the  rest  of  the 


1 12 


THE  TALMUD 


world  had  only  one.  Ten  measures  of  riches  came  down  to 
the  world  ;  Rome  laid  hold  of  nine  and  left  the  rest  of  the 
world  but  one  for  a  portion.  Ten  measures  of  poverty 
came  down  to  the  world ;  nine  fell  to  the  lot  of  Babylon 
and  one  to  the  rest  of  the  world.  Ten  measures  of  pride 
came  down  to  the  world  ;  Elam  appropriated  nine  and  to 
the  rest  of  the  world  but  one  remained  over.  Ten  measures 
of  bravery  came  to  the  world ;  Persia  took  nine,  leaving 
but  one  for  the  rest  of  the  world.  Ten  measures  of  vermiu 
came  to  the  world  ;  nine  fell  to  the  Medes  and  one  to  the 
rest  of  the  world.  Ten  measures  of  sorcery  came  down  to 
the  world  ;  Egypt  received  nine  and  one  was  shared  by  the 
rest  of  the  world.  Ten  measures  of  plagues  came  into  the 
world ;  nine  measures  were  alloted  to  the  swine  and  the 
rest  of  the  world  had  the  other.  Ten  measures  of  fornica¬ 
tion  came  into  the  world ;  nine  of  these  belong  to  the 
Arabs  and  to  the  rest  of  the  world  the  other.  Ten  meas¬ 
ures  of  impudence  found  its  way  into  the  world  ;  Mishan 
appropriated  nine,  leaving  one  to  the  rest  of  the  world. 
Ten  measures  of  talk  came  into  the  world  ;  women  claimed 
nine,  leaving  the  tenth  to  the  rest  of  the  world.  Ten 
measures  of  early  rising  came  into  the  world ;  they  of 
Ethiopia  received  nine  and  the  rest  of  the  world  one  only. 
Ten  measures  of  sleep  came  to  the  world  ;  the  servants 
took  nine  of  them,  leaving  one  measure  to  the  rest  of  the 
world.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  49,  col.  2. 

Ten  different  sorts  of  people  went  up  from  Babylon :  — 
(1.)  Priests,  (2.)  Eevites,  (3.)  Israelites,  (4.)  Disqualified 
Cohanim,  (5.)  Freedmen,  (6.)  Illegitimate,  (7.)  Nethinim, 
(8.)  Unaffiliated  ones,  and  (10.)  Foundlings. 

Ibid.,  fol.  63,  col.  1. 

Ten  characteristics  mark  the  phlebotomist :  —  He  walks 
sideling  along  ;  he  is  proud ;  he  stoops  awhile  before  seat¬ 
ing  himself ;  he  has  an  envious  and  evil  eye ;  he  is  a 
gourmand,  but  he  defecates  little  at  a  time ;  he  is  suspected 
of  incontinence,  robbery,  and  murder. 

Ibid.,  fol.  82,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Chanena  ben  Agil  asked  Rabbi  Cheya  ben  Abba, 
<(Why  does  the  word,  ‘signifying  that  it  may  be  well 


THE  TALMUD 


113 

with  thee >  not  occur  in  the  first  copy  of  the  ten  com¬ 
mandments  (Exod.  xx.)  as  it  does  in  the  second?” 
(Deut.  v.)  He  replied,  <(  Before  thou  askest  me  such  a 
question,  first  tell  me  whether  the  word  occurs  in  Deuter¬ 
onomy  or  not?  for  I  don’t  know  if  it  does.”  The  required 
answer  was  given  by  another  Rabbi,  <(  The  omission  of  the 
wrord  in  the  first  publication  of  the  ten  commandments  is 
due  to  the  foresight  of  what  was  to  befall  the  first  tables, 
for  if  the  word  good  had  been  in  the  tables,  and  broken 
withal,  then  goodness  would  have  ceased  to  bless  the  sons 
of  Israel.”  Bava  Kamay  fol.  55,  col.  1. 

The  Tosephoth  in  Bava  Bathra  (fol.  113,  col.  1)  ingenuously  ad¬ 
mits  that  the  Rabbis  were  occasionally  ignorant  of  the  letter  of 
Scripture.  The  above  quotation  may  be  taken  as  a  sample  of  several 
in  corroboration. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  when  pestilence  is  abroad 
no  one  should  walk  along  the  middle  of  the  road,  for 
there  the  angel  of  death  would  be  sure  to  cross  him. 
Neither  when  there  is  pestilence  in  a  town  should  a  person 
go  to  the  synagogue  alone,  because  there,  provided  no 
children  are  taught  there,  and  ten  men  are  not  met  to 
pray  there,  the  angel  of  death  hides  his  weapons.  The 
Rabbis  have  also  taught  that  (like  the  Banshee  of  Ireland), 
the  howling  of  dogs  indicates  the  approach  of  the  angel  of 
death,  whereas  when  they  sport  it  is  a  sign  that  Elijah 
the  prophet  is  at  hand,  unless  one  of  them  happen  to  be  a 
female,  for  it  is  her  presence  among  them,  and  not  any 
super-natural  instinct,  that  is  to  be  understood  as  the  cause 
of  the  demonstration.  Ibid. ,  fol.  60,  col.  2. 

Ten  constitutions  were  founded  by  Ezra  :  —  The  reading 
of  a  portion  of  Scripture  during  the  afternoon  prayers  on 
the  Sabbath-day,  and  during  morning  prayers  on  the 
second  and  fifth  days  of  the  week  (a  rule  that  is  to  this 
day  observed  in  orthodox  places  of  worship),  and  this  for 
the  reason  that  three  days  should  not  pass  by  without  such 
an  exercise  ;  to  hold  courts  for  the  due  administration  of 
justice  on  the  second  and  fifth  days  of  the  week,  when 
the  country  people  came  to  hear  the  public  reading  of  the 

Scriptures;  to  wash  their  garments,  etc.,  on  the  fifth  day, 
8 


THE  TALMUD 


1 14 

and  to  prepare  for  the  coming  Sabbath ;  to  eat  garlic  on 
the  sixth  day  of  the  week/  as  this  vegetable  has  the  prop¬ 
erty  of  promoting  secretions  (see  Exod.  xxi.  10)  ;  that  the 
wife  should  be  up  betimes  and  bake  the  bread,  so  as  to 
have  some  ready  in  case  any  one  should  come  begging ; 
that  the  women  should  wear  a  girdle  round  the  waist  for 
decency  sake ;  that  they  should  comb  their  hair  before 
bathing ;  that  peddlers  should  hawk  their  perfumes  about 
the  streets  in  order  that  women  should  supply  themselves 
with  such  things  as  will  attract  and  please  their  husbands  ; 
and  that  certain  unfortunates  (see  Eev.  xv. )  should  bathe 
themselves  before  they  came  to  the  public  reading  of  the 
law.  Bava  Kama ,  fol.  82,  col.  1. 

Ten  things  are  said  about  Jerusalem:  —  (1.)  No  mort¬ 
gaged  house  was  eventually  alienated  from  its  original 
owner  (which  was  the  case  elsewhere  in  Jewry).  (2.)  Je¬ 
rusalem  never  had  occasion  to  behead  a  heifer  by  way  of 
expiation  for  an  unproved  murder  (see  Deut.  xxi.  1-9). 
(3.)  She  never  could  be  regarded  as  a  repudiated  city 
(Deut.  xiii.  12,  etc.).  (4.)  No  appearance  of  plagues  in 
any  house  at  Jerusalem  rendered  the  house  unclean,  because 
the  words  of  Lev.  xiv.  34,  are  <(your  possession, ®  an  ex¬ 
pression  which  could  not  apply  to  Jerusalem,  as  it  had  never 
been  portioned  among  the  ten  tribes.  (5.)  Projecting  cor¬ 
nices  and  balconies  were  not  to  be  built  in  the  city.  (6.) 
Eimekilns  were  not  to  be  erected  there.  (7.)  No  refuse 
heaps  were  allowed  in  any  quarter.  (8.)  No  orchards  or 
gardens  were  permitted,  excepting  certain  flower-gardens, 
which  had  been  there  from  the  times  of  the  earlier  prophets. 
(9.)  No  cocks  were  reared  in  Jerusalem.  (10.)  No  corpse 
ever  remained  over  night  within  its  walls  ;  the  funeral  had 
to  take  place  on  the  day  of  the  decease. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  82,  col.  2. 

In  the  Book  of  Psalms  David  included  those  which  were 
composed  by  ten  elders: — Adam  (Ps.  cxxxix.)  ;  Mel- 
chizedek  (Ps.  cx.  )  ;  Abraham  (Ps.  lxxxix.)  ;  Moses 
(Ps.  xc. )  ;  the  others  alluded  to  were  by  Heman,  Jeduthun, 
Asaph,  and  the  three  sons  of  Korah. 

Bava  Bathra,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


1  x5 

A  man  once  overheard  his  wife  telling  her  daughter  that, 
though  she  had  ten  sons,  only  one  of  them  could  fairly 
claim  her  husband  as  his  father.  After  the  father’s  death 
it  was  found  that  he  had  bequeathed  all  his  property  to  one 
son,  but  that  the  testament  did  not  mention  his  name.  The 
question  therefore,  arose,  which  of  the  ten  was  intended? 
So  they  came  one  and  all  to  Rabbi  Benaah  and  asked  him 
to  arbitrate  between  them.  ®  Go,®  said  he  to  them,  (<  and 
beat  at  your  father’s  grave,  until  he  rises  to  tell  you  to 
which  of  you  it  was  that  he  left  the  propert3r.®  All  except 
one  did  so  ;  and  he,  because  by  so  doing  he  showed  most 
respect  for  his  father’s  memory,  was  presumed  to  be  the 
one  on  whom  the  father  had  fixed  his  affections  ;  he 
accordingly  was  supposed  to  be  the  one  intended,  and  the 
others  were  therefore  excluded  from  the  patrimony.  The 
disappointed  ones  went  straight  to  the  government  and  de¬ 
nounced  the  Rabbi.  <(  Here  is  a  man,’’  said  they,  <(  who 
arbitrarily  deprives  people  of  their  rights,  without  proof  or 
witnesses.®  The  consequence  was  that  the  Rabbi  was  sent 
to  prison,  but  he  gave  the  authorities  such  evidence  of  his 
shrewdness  and  sense  of  justice,  that  he  was  soon  restored 
to  freedom.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  58,  col.  1. 

Till  ten  generations  have  passed  speak  thou  not  con¬ 
temptuously  of  the  Gentiles  in  the  hearing  of  a  proselyte. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  94,  col.  1. 

The  ten  tribes  will  never  be  restored,  for  it  is  said  (Deut. 
xxiii.  28),  <(  God  cast  them  into  another  land,  as  it  is  this 
day.®  As  this  day  passes  away  without  return,  so  also 
they  have  passed  away  never  more  to  return.  So  says 
Rabbi  Akiva,  but  Rabbi  Eleazar  says,  <(  (  As  it  is  this  day  > 
implies  that,  as  the  day  darkens  and  lightens  up  again,  so 
the  ten  tribes  now  in  darkness  shall  in  the  future  be  re¬ 
stored  to  light.  ®  The  Rabbis  have  thus  taught  that  the  ten 
tribes  will  have  no  portion  in  the  world  to  come  ;  for  it  is 
said  (Deut.  xxix.  28),  <(And  the  Eord  rooted  them  out  of 
their  land  in  anger,  and  in  wrath,  and  in  great  indigna¬ 
tion.®  <(  And  he  rooted  them  out  of  their  land,®  that  is,  from 
this  world,  <(and  cast  them  into  another  land,®  that  is,  the 
world  to  come.  So  says  Rabbi  Akiva.  Rabbi  Shimon  ben 


n6 


THE  TALMUD 


Yehuda  says,  <(  If  their  designs  continue  as  they  are  at  this 
day,  they  will  not  return,  but  if  they  repent  they  will  re¬ 
turn.  *  Rabbi  (the  Holy)  says,  <(They  will  enter  the  world 
to  come,  for  it  is  said  (Isa.  xxvii.  13),  ( And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  in  that  day  that  the  great  trumpet  shall  be  blown, 
and  they  shall  come  wrhich  were  ready  to  perish. >w 

Sanhedrm.  fol.  no,  col.  2. 

Ten  things  are  detrimental  to  study  :  —  Going  under  the 
halter  of  a  camel,  and  still  more  passing  under  its  body  ; 
walking  between  two  camels  or  between  two  women ;  to  be 
one  of  two  men  that  a  woman  passes  between  ;  to  go  where 
the  atmosphere  is  tainted  by  a  corpse  ;  to  pass  under  a  bridge 
beneath  which  no  water  has  flowed  for  forty  days ;  to  eat 
with  a  ladle  that  has  been  used  for  culinary  purposes  ;  to 
drink  water  that  runs  through  a  cemetery.  It  is  also  dan¬ 
gerous  to  look  at  the  face  of  a  corpse,  and  some  say  also 
to  read  inscriptions  on  tombstones. 

Horayoth ,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

Ten  strong  things  were  created  in  the  world  (of  which 
the  one  that  comes  after  is  stronger  than  that  which  pre¬ 
ceded).  A  mountain  is  strong,  but  iron  can  hew  it  in 
pieces  ;  the  fire  weakens  the  iron  ;  the  water  quenches  the 
fire  ;  the  clouds  carry  off  the  water ;  the  wind  disperses  the 
clouds ;  the  living  body  resists  the  wind  ;  fear  enervates  the 
body  ;  wine  abolishes  fear ;  sleep  overcomes  wine,  and  death 
is  stronger  than  all  together  ;  yet  it  is  written  (Prov.  x.  2), 
<(And  alms  delivereth  from  death (the  original  word  has 
two  meanings,  righteousness  and  alms). 

Bava  Bathra,  fol.  10,  col.  1. 

With  the  utterance  of  ten  words  wras  the  world  created. 

Avoth,  chap.  5,  mish.  1. 

There  were  ten  generations  from  Adam  to  Noah,  to  show 
how  great  is  God’s  long-suffering,  for  each  of  these  went 
on  provoking  Him  more  and  more,  till  His  forbearance 
relenting,  He  brought  the  flood  upon  them. 

Ibid.,  mish.  2. 

There  were  ten  generations  from  Noah  to  Abraham,  to 
show  that  God  is  long-suffering,  since  all  those  succeeding 


THE  TALMUD 


ii  7 

generations  provoked  Him,  until  Abraham  came,  and  he 
received  the  reward  that  belonged  to  all  of  them. 

Avoth,  mish.  3. 

The  greatest  sinner  is  uniformly  presumed  throughout  the  Talmud  to 
have  a  certain  amount  of  merit,  and  therefore  a  corresponding  title 
to  reward  (see  chap.  2,  No.  10  =  Ps.  xxxvii.  35-37).  Much  of  this 
last  is  enjoyed  by  the  wicked  themselves  in  the  present  world,  and  the 
surplus  is  often  transferred  to  the  credit  of  the  righteous  in  the  world  to 
come  (see  <(  Genesis, w  page  482,  No.  173  —  Matt.  xiii.  12). 

Abraham  our  father  was  tested  ten  times  ;  in  every  case 
he  stood  firm  ;  which  shows  how  great  the  love  of  our 
father  Abraham  was.  Ibid.,  mish.  4. 

Ten  miracles  were  wrought  for  our  forefathers  in  Egypt, 
and  ten  at  the  Red  Sea.  Ten  plagues  did  the  Holy  One 
—  blessed  be  He!  —  inflict  on  the  Egyptians  in  Egypt,  and 
ten  at  the  sea.  Ten  times  did  our  ancestors  tempt  God  in 
the  wilderness,  as  it  is  said  (Num.  xiv.  22),  (<  And  have 
tempted  me  now  these  ten  times,  and  have  not  hearkened 
to  my  voice.  ®  Ibid. ,  mish.  5,  6,  7. 

Ten  times  did  God  test  our  forefathers,  and  they  were 
not  so  much  as  once  found  to  be  perfect. 

Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  34. 

Ten  times  the  Shechinah  came  down  unto  the  world  :  — - 
At  the  garden  of  Eden  (Gen.  iii.  8)  ;  at  the  time  of  the 
Tower  (Gen.  xi.  5);  at  Sodom  (Gen.  xviii.  21);  in  Egypt 
Exod.  iii.  8)  ;  at  the  Red  Sea  (Ps.  xviii.  9)  ;  on  Mount 
Sinai  (Exod.  xix.  20)  ;  into  the  Temple  (Ezek.  xliv.  2)  ; 
in  the  pillar  of  cloud  (Num.  xi.  25).  It  will  descend  in 
the  days  of  Gog  and  Magog,  for  it  is  said  (Zech.  xiv.  4), 
(<  And  His  feet  shall  stand  in  that  day  upon  the  Mount  of 
Olives  (the  tenth  is  omitted  in  the  original).  Ibid. 

The  Shechinah  made  ten  gradual  ascents  in  passing  from 
place  to  place  :  —  From  the  cover  of  the  ark  to  the  cherub 
(2  Sam.  xxii.  11)  ;  thence  to  the  threshold  of  the  house 
(Ezek.  ix.  3)  ;  thence  to  the  cherubim  (Ezek.  x.  18)  ; 
thence  to  the  roof  of  the  Temple  (Prov.  xxi.  9)  ;  thence 
to  the  wall  of  the  court  (Amos  vii.  7)  ;  thence  to  the 
altar  (Amos  ix.  1)  ;  thence  to  the  city  (Micah  vi.  9)  ; 
thence  to  the  mount  (Ezek.  xi.  23)  ;  thence  to  the  wil- 


n8 


THE  TALMUD 


derness  (Prov.  xxi.  9)  ;  whence  the  Shechinah  went  up, 
as  it  is  said  (Hosea  v.  15),  <(I  will  go  and  return  to  my 
place. ®  Avoth  d'  Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  34. 

Ten  different  terms  are  employed  to  express  the  title  of 
prophet:  —  Ambassador,  Faithful,  Servant,  Messenger,  Seer, 
Watchman,  Seer  of  Vision,  Dreamer,  Prophet,  Man  of  God. 

Ibid. 

Ten  distinct  designations  are  applied  to  the  Holy  Spirit :  — 
Proverb,  Interpretation,  Dark,  Saying,  Oracle,  Utterance, 
Decree,  Burden,  Prophecy,  Vision.  Ibid. 

Ten  are  designated  by  the  term  Life  or  Living :  —  God, 
the  law,  Israel,  the  righteous,  the  garden  of  Eden,  the  tree 
of  life,  the  land  of  Israel,  Jerusalem,  benevolence,  the 
sages  ;  and  water  also  is  described  as  life,  as  it  is  said 
(Zech.  xiv.  8),  (<  And  it  shall  be  in  that  day  that  living 
water  shall  go  out  from  Jerusalem.  *  Ibid. 

If  there  are  ten  beds  piled  upon  one  another,  and  if  be¬ 
neath  the  lowermost  there  be  any  tissue  woven  of  linen  and 
wool  (Lev.  xix.  19),  it  is  unlawful  to  lie  down  upon  them. 

Tamid,  fol.  27,  col.  2. 

Alexander  of  Macedon  proposed  ten  queries  to  the  elders 
of  the  south  :  — <(  Which  are  more  remote  from  each  other, 
the  heavens  from  the  earth  or  the  east  from  the  west  ? ® 
They  answered,  <(  The  east  is  more  remote  from  the  west, 
for  when  the  sun  is  either  in  the  east  or  in  the  west,  any 
one  can  gaze  upon  him  ;  but  when  the  sun  is  in  the  zenith 
or  heaven,  none  can  gaze  at  him,  he  is  so  much  nearer. * 
The  Mishnaic  Rabbis,  on  the  other  hand,  say  they  are 
equidistant;  for  it  is  written  (Ps.  ciii.  11,  12),  (<  As  the 
heavens  are  from  the  earth,  .  .  .  so  is  the  east  removed 
from  the  west.®  Alexander  then  asked,  <(  Were  the  heavens 
created  first  or  was  the  earth  ?  ®  <(  The  heavens,®  they  replied, 
((  for  it  is  said,  *  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth. >w  He  then  asked,  <(  Was  light  created  first 
or  was  darkness  ?®  They  replied,  (<  This  is  an  unanswera¬ 
ble  question.®  They  should  have  answered  darkness  was 
created  first,  for  it  is  said,  (<And  the  earth  was  without 
form  and  void,  and  darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the 


THE  TALMUD 


119 

deep,”  and  after  this,  <(  And  God  said,  Let  there  be  light, 
and  there  was  light.”  Tamzd.,  fol.  31,  col.  2. 

There  are  ten  degrees  of  holiness,  and  the  land  of 
Israel  is  holy  above  all  other  lands. 

Kelim ,  chap.  1,  mish.  6. 

There  are  ten  places  which,  though  Gentile  habitations, 
are  not  considered  unclean:  —  (1.)  Arab  tents;  (2.)  A 
watchman’s  hut;  (3.)  The  top  of  a  tower;  (4.)  A  fruit- 
store;  (5.)  A  summer-house;  (6.)  A  gatekeeper’s  lodge; 
(7.)  An  uncovered  courtyard  ;  (8.)  A  bath-house  ;  (9.)  An  ar¬ 
mory  ;  (10.)  A  military  camp.  Oholoth,  chap.  18,  mish.  10. 

(<  An  Ammonite  or  Moabite  shall  not  enter  the  congre¬ 
gation  of  the  Lord,  even  to  the  tenth  generation,”  etc. 
(Deut.  xxiii.  4).  One  day  Yehuda,  an  Ammonite  prophet, 
came  into  the  academy  and  asked,  <(  May  I  enter  the  con¬ 
gregation  (if  I  marry  a  Jewess)  ?  ”  Rabban  Gamliel  said 
unto  him,  <(  Thou  art  not  at  liberty  to  do  so ;  ”  but  Rabbi 
Joshua  interposed  and  maintained,  (<  He  is  at  liberty  to  do 
so.”  Then  Rabban  Gamliel  appealed  to  Scripture,  which 
saith,  <(  An  Ammonite  or  Moabite  shall  not  enter  into  the 
congregation  of  the  Lord,  even  to  the  tenth  generation.” 
To  this  Rabbi  Joshua  retorted  and  asked,  (<Are  then  these 
nations  still  in  their  own  native  places  ?  Did  not  Senna¬ 
cherib,  the  king  of  Assyria,  transplant  the  nations?  as  it  is 
said  (Isa.  x.  13),  (I  have  removed  the  bounds  of  the 
people,  and  have  robbed  their  treasures,  and  have  put  down 
the  valor  of  the  inhabitants.*  ”  Rabban  Gamliel  replied, 
<(  Scripture  saith  (Jer.  xlix.  6),  ( Afterward  I  will  bring 
again  the  captivity  of  the  children  of  Ammon/  and  so,”  he 
argued,  “they  must  have  already  returned.”  Rabbi  Joshua 
then  promptly  rejoined,  “Scripture  saith  (Jer.  xxx.  3),  (I 
will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  my  people  Israel  and 
Judah, *  and  these  have  not  returned  yet.”  And  on  this 
reasoning  the  proselyte  was  permitted  to  enter  the  congre¬ 
gation.  Yadayim ,  chap.  4,  mish.  4. 

Go  and  learn  from  the  tariff  of  donkey-drivers,  ten 
miles  for  one  zouz,  eleven  for  two  zouzim. 

Chdggigdh ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 


120 


THE  TALMUD 


When  Israel  went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  attend  the  festi¬ 
vals,  they  had  to  stand  in  the  Temple  court  closely 
crowded  together,  yet  when  prostrated  .there  was  a  wide 
space  between  each  of  them  (Rashi  says  about  four  ells), 
so  that  they  could  not  hear  each  other’s  confession,  which 
might  have  caused  them  to  blush.  They  had,  however, 
when  prostrated,  to  extend  eleven  ells  behind  the  Holy  of 
Holies.  Yoma,  fob  21,  col.  1, 

In  the  days  of  Joel,  the  son  of  Pethuel,  there  was  a 
great  dearth,  because  (as  is  said  in  Joel  i.  4)  (<  That 
which  the  palmerworm  hath  left  hath  the  locust  eaten, ” 
etc.  That  year  the  month  of  Adar  (about  March)  passed 
away  and  no  rain  came.  When  some  rain  fell,  during  the 
following  month,  the  prophet  said  unto  Israel,  <(  Go  ye 
forth  and  sow.”  They  replied,  <(  Shall  he  who  has  but  a 
measure  or  two  of  wheat  or  barley  eat  and  live  or  sow  it 
and  die?”  Still  the  prophet  urged,  <(  Go  forth  and  sow.” 
Then  they  obeyed  the  prophet,  and  in  eleven  days  the  seed 
had  grown  and  ripened ;  and  it  is  with  reference  to  that 
generation  that  it  is  said  (Ps.  cxxvi.  5),  <(  They  that  sow 
in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.”  Taanith ,  fol.  5,  cob  1. 

What  is  a  female  in  her  minority?  One  who  is  between 
eleven  years  and  one  day,  and  twelve  years  and  one  day. 
When  younger  or  older  than  these  ages  she  is  to  be  treated 
in  the  usual  manner.  Yevamoth ,  fob  100,  cob  2. 

Whoever  gives  a  prutah  to  a  poor  man  has  six  blessings 
bestowed  upon  him,  and  he  that  speaks  a  kind  word  to 
him  realizes  eleven  blessings  in  himself  (see  Isa.  lviii. 
7,  8).  Bava  Bathra ,  fob  9,  cob  2. 

On  the  next  page  of  the  same  tract  it  is  said,  (<  For  one  prutah 
given  as  alms  to  a  poor  man  one  is  made  partaker  of  the  beatific 
vision. w  (See  also  Midrash  Tillim  on  Ps.  xvii.  15.) 

The  prutah  was  the  smallest  coin  then  current.  It  is  estimated  to 
have  been  equal  to  about  one-twentieth  of  an  English  penny.  In 
some  quarters  of  Poland  the  Jews  have  small  thin  bits  of  brass,  with 
the  Hebrew  word  prutah  impressed  upon  them,  for  the  uses  in 
charity  on  the  part  of  those  among  them  that  cannot  afford  to  give 
a  kreutzer  to  a  poor  man.  The  poor,  when  they  have  collected  a 
number  of  these,  change  them  into  larger  coin  at  the  almoner’s  ap¬ 
pointed  by  the  congregation.  Thus  even  the  poor  are  enabled  to  give 
alms  to  the  poor.  (See  my  <(  Genesis, })  p.  277,  No.  31.) 


THE  TALMUD 


I  2 1 


Rabbi  Yochanan  said  eleven  sorts  of  spices  were  men¬ 
tioned  to  Moses  on  Sinai.  Rav  Hunna  asked,  “  What 
Scripture  text  proves  this?”  (Exod.  xxx.  34),  “  Take 
unto  thee  sweet  spices  ”  (the  plural  implying  two),  <(stacte, 
myrrh,  and  galbanum  ”  (these  three  thus  making  up  five), 
<( sweet  spices”  (the  repetition  doubling  the  five  into  ten), 
“with  pure  frankincense”  (which  makes  up  eleven). 

Kerithoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  2. 

“  Zion  said,  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  and  forgotten  me  ” 
(Isa.  xlix.  14).  The  community  of  Israel  once  pleaded 
thus  with  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  “  Even  a  man 
who  marries  a  second  wife  still  bears  in  mind  the  services 
of  the  first,  but  Thou,  Eord,  hast  forgotten  me.”  The 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  replied,  “Daughter,  I  have 
created  twelve  constellations  in  the  firmament,  and  for  each 
constellation  I  have  created  thirty  armies,  and  for  each 
army  thirty  legions,  each  legion  containing  thirty  divisions, 
each  division  thirty  cohorts,  each  cohort  having  thirty 
camps,  and  in  each  camp  hang  suspended  365,000  myriads 
of  stars,  as  many  thousands  of  myriads  as  there  are  days 
in  the  year  ;  all  these  have  I  created  for  thy  sake,  and  yet 
thou  sayest,  (  Thou  hast  forsaken  and  forgotten  me  ! y  Can 
a  woman  forget  her  sucking-child,  that  she  should  not  have 
compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb?  Yea,  they  may  for¬ 
get,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee.” 

Berachoth ,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

No  deceased  person  is  forgotten  from  the  heart  (of  his 
relatives  that  survive  him)  till  after  twelve  months,  for  it 
is  said  (Ps.  xxxi.  12),  “I  am  forgotten  as  a  dead  man 
out  of  mind ;  I  am  like  a  lost  vessel  ”  (which,  as  Rashi 
explains,  is  like  all  lost  property,  not  thought  of  as  lost 
for  twelve  months,  for  not  till  then  is  proclamation  for  it 
given  up).  Ibid.,  fol.  58,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yehudah,  Rabbi  Yossi,  and  Rabbi  Shimon  (ben 
Yochai)  were  sitting  together,  and  Yehudah  ben  Gerim 
(the  son,  says  Rashi,  of  proselyte  parents)  beside  them. 
In  the  course  of  conversation  Rabbi  Yehudah  remarked, 

“  How  beautiful  and  serviceable  are  the  works  of  these 
Romans  !  They  have  established  markets,  spanned  rivers 


122 


THE  TALMUD 


by  bridges,  and  erected  baths.”  To  this  remark  Rabbi 
Yossi  kept  silent,  but  Rabbi  Shimon  replied,  <(  Yea,  indeed  ; 
but  all  these  they  have  done  to  benefit  themselves.  The 
markets  they  have  opened  to  feed  licentiousness,  they  have 
erected  baths  for  their  own  pleasure,  and  the  bridges  they 
have  raised  for  collecting  tolls.”  Yehudah  ben  Gerim  there¬ 
upon  went  direct  and  informed  against  them,  and  the  re¬ 
port  having  reached  the  Emperor’s  ears,  an  edict  was 
immediately  issued  that  Rabbi  Yehudah  should  be  pro¬ 
moted,  Rabbi  Yossi  banished  to  Sepphoris,  and  Rabbi 
Shimon  taken  and  executed.  Rabbi  Shimon  and  his  son, 
however,  managed  to  secret  themselves  in  a  college,  where 
they  were  purveyed  to  by  the  Rabbi’s  wife,  who  brought 
them  daily  bread  and  water.  One  day  mistrust  seized  the 
Rabbi,  and  he  said  to  his  son,  <(  Women  are  light-minded ; 
the  Romans  may  tease  her  and  then  she  will  betray  us.” 
So  they  stole  away  and  hid  themselves  in  a  cave.  Here 
the  Lord  interposed  by  a  miracle,  and  created  a  carob-tree 
bearing  fruit  all  the  year  round  for  their  support,  and 
opened  a  perennial  spring  for  their  refreshment.  To  save 
their  clothes  they  laid  them  aside  except  at  prayers,  and 
to  protect  their  naked  bodies  from  exposure  they  would  at 
other  times  sit  up  to  their  necks  in  sand,  absorbed  in 
study.  After  they  had  passed  twelve  years  thus  in  the 
cave,  Elijah  was  sent  to  inform  them  that  the  Emperor 
was  dead,  and  his  decree  powerless  to  touch  them.  On 
leaving  the  cave,  they  noticed  some  people  plowing  and 
sowing,  when  one  of  them  exclaimed,  (<  These  folk 
neglect  eternal  things  and  trouble  themselves  with  the 
things  that  are  temporal.”  As  they  fixed  their  eyes  upon 
the  place,  fire  came  and  burnt'  it  up.  Then  a  Bath  Kol 
was  heard  exclaiming,  <(  What !  are  ye  come  forth  to 
destroy  the  world  I  have  made?  Get  back  to  your  cave 
and  hide  you.”  Thither  accordingly  they  returned,  and 
after  they  had  stopped  there  twelve  months  longer,  they 
remonstrated,  pleading  that  even  the  judgment  of  the 
wicked  in  Gehenna  lasted  no  longer  than  twelve  months ; 
upon  which  a  Bath  Kol  was  again  heard  from  heaven, 
which  said,  (<  Come  ye  forth  from  your  cave.”  Then  they 
arose  and  obeyed  it.  Shabbath ,  fol.  33,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


123 


Rabbi  Yehoshua  ben  Levi  said  that  at  every  utterance 
which  proceeded  from  the  mouth  of  the  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He!  —  on  Mount  Sinai,  Israel  receded  twelve 
miles,  being  conducted  gently  back  by  the  ministering 
angels;  for  it  is  said  (Ps.  lxviii.  12),  <(The  angels  of  hosts 
kept  moving.”  Shabbath ,  fol.  88,  col.  2. 

A  Sadducee  once  said  to  Rabbi  Abhu,  (<  Ye  say  that  the 
souls  of  the  righteous  are  treasured  up  under  the  throne  of 
glory  ;  how  then  had  the  Witch  of  Endor  power  to  bring 
up  the  prophet  Samuel  by  necromancy?”  The  Rabbi  re¬ 
plied,  <(  Because  that  occurred  within  twelve  months  after 
his  death ;  for  we  are  taught  that  during  twelve  months 
after  death  the  body  is  preserved  and  the  soul  soars  up  and 
down,  but  that  after  twelve  months  the  body  is  destroyed 
and  the  soul  goes  up  never  to  return. ” 

Ibid.,  fol.  152,  col.  2. 

Clever  answers  to  puzzling  questions  like  the  above,  are 
of  frequent  occurrence  in  the  Talmud ;  and  we  select  here 
a  few  out  of  the  many  specimens  of  Rabbinical  ready  wit 
and  repartee. 

Turnus  Rufus  once  said  to  Rabbi  Akiva,  (<  If  your  God 
is  a  friend  to  the  poor,  why  doesn’t  he  feed  them?”  To 
which  he  promptly  replied,  <(  That  we  by  maintaining  them 
may  escape  the  condemnation  of  Gehenna.  ”  <(  On  the  con¬ 
trary,”  said  the  Emperor,  <(  the  very  fact  of  your  maintain¬ 
ing  the  poor  will  condemn  you  to  Gehenna.  I  will  tell  thee 
by  a  parable  whereto  this  is  like,  It  is  as  if  a  king  of  our 
own  flesh  and  blood  should  imprison  a  servant  who  has 
offended  him,  and  command  that  neither  food  nor  drink 
should  be  given  him,  and  as  if  one  of  his  subjects  in  spite 
of  him  should  go  and  supply  him  with  both.  When  the 
king  hears  of  it  will  he  not  be  angry  with  that  man?  And 
ye  are  called  servants,  as  it  is  said  (Lev.  xxv.  55),  (  For 
unto  me  the  children  of  Israel  are  servants. )”  To  this 
Rabbi  Akiva  replied,  <(  And  I  too  will  tell  thee  a  parable 
whereunto  the  thing  is  like.  It  is  like  a  king  of  our  own 
flesh  and  blood  who,  being  angry  with  his  son,  imprisons 
him,  and  orders  that  neither  food  nor  drink  be  given  him, 
but  one  goes  and  gives  him  both  to  eat  and  drink.  When 


124 


THE  TALMUD 


the  king  hears  of  it  will  he  not  handsomely  reward  that 
man?  And  we  are  sons,  as  it  is  written  (Deut.  xiv.  i), 
( Ye  are  the  sons  of  the  Eord  your  God.*”  “True,”  the 
Emperor  replied,  “  ye  are  both  sons  and  servants ;  sons 
when  ye  do  the  will  of  God ;  servants  when  ye  do  not ; 
and  now  ye  are  not  doing  the  will  of  God.” 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  io,  col.  i. 

Certain  philosophers  once  asked  the  elders  at  Rome,  “  If 
your  God  has  no  pleasure  in  idolatry,  why  does  He  not  de¬ 
stroy  the  objects  of  it?”  “And  so  He  would,”  was  the 
reply,  “if  only  such  objects  were  worshiped  as  the  world 
does  not  stand  in  need  of ;  but  you  idolators  will  worship 
the  sun  and  moon,  the  stars  and  the  constellations.  Should 
He  destroy  the  world  because  of  the  fools  there  are  in  it? 
No  !  The  world  goes  on  as  it  has  done  all  the  same,  but 
they  who  abuse  it  will  have  to  answer  for  their  conduct. 
On  your  philosophy,  when  one  steals  a  measure  of  wheat 
and  sows  it  in  his  field  it  should  by  rights  produce  no 
crop  ;  nevertheless  the  world  goes  on  as  if  no  wrong  had 
been  done,  and  they  who  abuse  it  will  one  day  smart  for 
it.”  Avoda  Zarah ,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

Antoninus  Caesar  asked  Rabbi  (the  Holy),  “Why  does 
the  sun  rise  in  the  east  and  set  in  the  west  ?  ”  “  Thou 

wouldst  have  asked,”  answered  the  Rabbi,  “the  same  ques¬ 
tion  if  the  order  had  been  reversed.”  “What  I  mean,”  re¬ 
marked  Antoninus,  “  is  this,  is  there  any  special  reason  why 
he  sets  in  the  west?”  “Yes,”  replied  Rabbi,  “  to  salute  his 
Creator  (who  is  in  the  east),  for  it  is  said  (Neh.  ix.  6), 
(  And  the  host  of  heaven  worship  Thee. >  ” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  91,  col.  2. 

Caesar  once  said  to  Rabbi  Tanchum,  “  Come,  now,  let  us 
be  one  people.”  “Very  well,”  said  Rabbi  Tanchum,  “only 
we,  being  circumcised,  cannot  possibly  become  like  you  ;  if, 
however,  ye  become  circumcised  we  shall  be  alike  in  that 
regard  anyhow,  and  so  be  as  one  people.”  The  Emperor 
said,  “  Thou  hast  reasonably  answered,  but  the  Roman  law 
is,  that  he  who  nonpulses  his  ruler  and  puts  him  to  silence 
shall  be  cast  to  the  lions.”  The  word  was  no  sooner  ut¬ 
tered  than  the  Rabbi  was  thrown  into  the  den,  but  the 


THE  TALMUD 


125 


lions  stood  aloof  and  did  not  even  touch  him.  A  Saddu- 
cee,  who  looked  on,  remarked,  <(  The  lions  do  not  devour  him 
because  they  are  not  hungry,”  but,  when  at  the  royal  com¬ 
mand,  the  Sadducee  himself  was  thrown  in,  he  had  scarcely 
reached  the  lions  before  they  fell  upon  him  and  began  to  tear 
his  flesh  and  devour  him.  Sanhedrin,  fol.  39,  col.  1. 

A  certain  Sadducee  asked  Rabbi  Abhu,  <(  Since  your  God 
is  a  priest,  as  it  is  written  (Exod.  xxv.  2),  (  That  they 
bring  Me  an  offering,*  in  what  did  He  bathe  Himself  after 
He  was  polluted  by  the  burial  (Num.  xix.  11,  18)  of  the 
dead  body  of  Moses  ?  It  could  not  be  in  the  water,  for  it 
is  written  (Isa.  xl.  12),  <Who  has  measured  the  waters  in 
the  hollow  of  His  hand  ? >  which  therefore  are  insufficient 
for  Him  to  bathe  in.  *  The  Rabbi  replied,  <(  He  bathed  in 
fire,  as  it  is  written  (Isa.  lxvi.  15),  (For  behold  the  Eord 
will  come  with  fire.*  *  Ibid. 

Turnus  Rufus  asked  this  question  also  of  Rabbi  Akiva, 
a  Why  is  the  Sabbath  distinguished  from  other  days  ?  ** 
Rabbi  Akiva  replied,  (<  Why  art  thou  distinguished  from 
other  men  ?  **  The  answer  was,  <(  Because  it  hath  pleased 
my  Master  thus  to  honor  me.”  And  so  retorted  Akiva, 
<(  It  hath  pleased  God  to  honor  His  Sabbath. **  <(  But  what 

I  mean,”  replied  the  other,  <(  was  how  dost  thou  know  that 
it  is  the  Sabbath-day  ? **  The  reply  was,  (<  The  river  Sam- 
batyon  proves  it ;  the  necromancer  proves  it  ;  the  grave  of 
thy  father  proves  it,  for  the  smoke  thereof  rises  not  on  the 
Sabbath. **  Ibid.,  fol.  65,  col.  2. 

See  Bereshith  Rabba,  fol.  4,  with  reference  to  what  is  here  said 
about  Turnus  Rufus  and  his  father’s  grave.  The  proof  from  the  nec¬ 
romancer  lies  in  the  allegation  that  his  art  was  unsuccessful  if  prac¬ 
ticed  on  the  Sabbath-day.  The  Sambatyon,  Rashi  says,  is  a  pebbly 
river  which  rushes  along  all  the  days  of  the  week  except  the  Sab¬ 
bath,  on  which  it  is  perfectly  still  and  quiet.  In  the  Machsor  for 
Pentecost  (D.  Revi’s  ed.  p.  81),  it  is  styled  (<the  incomprehensible 
river, >>  and  a  footnote  thereto  informs  us  that  <(This  refers  to  the 
river  said  to  rest  on  the  Sabbath  from  throwing  up  stones,  etc.,  which 
it  does  not  cease  to  do  all  the  rest  of  the  week.**  (See  Sanhedrin, 
fol.  65,  col.  2  ;  Yalkut  on  Isaiah,  fol.  3,  1  ;  Pesikta  Tanchuma.  See 
also  Shalsheleth  Hakabbala  and  Yuchsin.) 

Those  Israelites  and  Gentiles  who  have  transgressed  with 
their  bodies  (the  former  by  neglecting  to  wear  phylacteries, 


126 


THE  TALMUD 


and  the  latter  by  indulging  in  sensuous  pleasures),  shall  go 
down  into  Gehenna,  and  there  be  punished  for  twelve 
months,  after  which  period  their  bodies  will  be  destroyed 
and  their  soul  consumed,  and  a  wind  shall  scatter  their 
ashes  under  the  soles  of  the  feet  of  the  righteous  ;  as  it  is 
said  (Mai.  iv.  3),  <(  And  ye  shall  tread  down  the  wicked; 
for  they  shall  be  as  ashes  under  the  soles  of  your  feet.}> 
But  the  Minim,  the  informers,  and  the  Epicureans,  they 
who  deny  the  law  and  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  they 
who  separate  themselves  from  the  manners  of  the  congre¬ 
gation,  they  who  have  been  a  terror  in  the  land  of  the  liv¬ 
ing,  and  they  who  have  sinned  and  have  led  the  multitude 
astray,  as  did  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat  and  his  com¬ 
panions, —  these  shall  go  down  into  Gehenna,  and  there  be 
judged  for  generations  upon  generations,  as  it  is  said  (Isa. 
lxvi.  24),  (<  And  they  shall  go  forth  and  look  upon  the 
carcasses  of  the  men  that  have  transgressed  against  me,® 
etc.  Gehenna  itself  shall  be  consumed  but  they  shall  not 
be  burned  up  in  the  destruction  ;  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  xlix. 
14  ;  Heb.  xv.),  “And  their  figures  shall  consume  hell  from 
being  a  dwelling. w  Rosk  Hasha?iahy  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

Once  wThen  Israel  went  up  by  pilgrimages  to  one  of  the 
three  annual  feasts  at  Jerusalem  (see  Exod.  xxxiv.  23,  24), 
it  so  happened  that  there  was  no  water  to  drink.  Nicode- 
mon  ben  Gorion  therefore  hired  of  a  friendly  neighbor 
twelve  huge  reservoirs  of  water  promising  to  have  them 
replenished  against  a  given  time,  or  failing  this  to  forfeit 
twelve  talents  of  silver.  The  appointed  day  came  and  still 
the  drought  continued,  and  therewith  the  scarcity  of  water  ; 
upon  which  the  creditor  appeared  and  demanded  payment 
of  the  forfeit.  The  answer  of  Nicodemon  to  the  demand 
was,  “There’s  time  yet;  the  day  is  not  over.^  The  other 
chuckled  to  himself,  inwardly  remarking,  <(  There’s  no 
chance  now;  there’s  been  no  rain  all  the  season, ®  and  off 
he  went  to  enjoy  his  bath.  But  Nicodemon  sorrowful  at 
heart,  wended  his  way  to  the  Temple.  After  putting  on 
his  prayer  scarf,  as  he  pra}'ed,  he  pleaded,  (<  Lord  of  the 
Universe  !  Thou  knowest  that  I  have  not  entered  into  this 
obligation  for  my  own  sake,  but  for  Thy  glory  and  for  the 


THE  TALMUD 


127 


benefit  of  Thy  people. w  While  he  yet  prayed  the  clouds 
gathered  overhead,  the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  and  the  reser¬ 
voirs  were  filled  to  overflowing.  On  going  out  of  the  house 
of  prayer  he  was  met  by  the  exacting  creditor,  who  still 
urged  that  the  money  was  due  to  him,  as  he  said,  the 
rain  came  after  sunset.  But  in  answer  to  prayer  the  clouds 
immediately  dispersed,  and  the  sun  shone  out  as  brightly 
as  ever.  Taanith ,  fol.  19.  col.  2. 

Nicodemon  ben  Gorion  of  the  above  story  is  by  some  considered 
to  be  the  Nicodemus  of  St.  John’s  Gospel,  iii.  1-10  ;  vii.  50;  xix.  30. 

Would  that  my  husband  were  here  and  could  listen  to 
me ;  I  should  permit  him  to  stay  away  another  twelve 
years.  Kethuboth ,  fol.  63.  col.  1. 

Hereto  hangs  a  tale  stranger  than  fiction,  yet  founded  on  fact. 
Rabbi  Akiva  was  once  a  poor  shepherd  in  the  employ  of  Calba  Shevua, 
one  of  the  richest  men  in  all  Jerusalem.  While  engaged  in  that  lowly 
occupation  his  master’s  only  daughter  fell  in  love  with  him,  and  the 
two  carried  on  a  clandestine  courtship  for  some  time  together.  Her 
father,  hearing  of  it,  threatened  to  disinherit  her,  to  turn  her  out  of 
doors  and  disown  her  altogether,  if  she  did  not  break  off  her  engage¬ 
ment.  How  could  she  connect  herself  with  one  who  was  the  base- 
born  son  of  a  proselyte,  a  reputed  descendant  of  Sisera  and  Jael,  an 
ignorant  fellow  that  could  neither  read  nor  write,  and  a  man  old 
enough  to  be  her  father  ?  Rachel  —  for  that  was  her  name  —  deter¬ 
mined  to  be  true  to  her  lover,  and  to  brave  the  consequences  by 
marrying  him  and  exchanging  the  mansion  of  her  father  for  the 
hovel  of  her  husband.  After  a  short  spell  of  married  life  she  pre- 
yailed  upon  her  husband  to  leave  her  for  a  while  in  order  to  join 
a  certain  college  in  a  distant  land,  where  she  felt  sure  that 
his  talents  would  be  recognized  and  his  genius  fostered  into 
development  worthy  of  it.  As  he  sauntered  along  by  him¬ 
self  he  began  to  harbor  misgivings  in  his  mind  as  to  the  wisdom  of 
the  step,  and  more  than  once  thought  of  returning.  But  when  mus¬ 
ing  one  day  at  a  resting-place  a  waterfall  arrested  his  attention,  and 
he  remarked  how  the  water,  by  its  continual  dropping,  was  wearing 
away  the  solid  rock.  All  at  once,  with  the  tact  for  which  he  was 
afterward  so  noted,  he  applied  the  lesson  it  yielded  to  himself.  (( So 
may  the  law,**  he  reasoned,  <(work  its  way  into  my  hard  and  stony 
heart ;  w  and  he  felt  encouraged  and  pursued  his  journey.  Under  the 
tuition  of  Rabbi  Eliezer,  the  son  of  Hyrcanus,  and  Rabbi  Yehoshua, 
the  son  of  Chananiah,  his  native  ability  soon  began  to  appear,  his 
name  became  known  to  fame,  and  he  rose  step  by  step  until  he 
ranked  as  a  professor  in  the  very  college  which  he  had  entered  as  a 
poor  student.  After  some  twelve  years  of  hard  study  and  diligent 


128 


THE  TALMUD 


service  in  the  law  he  returned  tq  Jerusalem,  accompanied  by  a  large 
number  of  disciples.  On  nearing  the  dwelling  of  his  devoted  wife  he 
caught  the  sound  of  voices  in  eager  conversation.  He  paused  awhile 
and  listened  at  the  door,  and  overheard  a  gossiping  neighbor  blaming 
Rachel  for  her  mesalliance ,  and  twitting  her  with  marrying  a  man 
who  could  run  away  and  leave  her  as  a  widow  for  a  dozen  of  years 
or  more  on  the  crazy  pretext  of  going  to  college.  He  listened  in  eager 
curiosity,  wondering  what  the  reply  would  be.  To  his  surprise,  he 
heard  his  self-sacrificing  wife  exclaim,  <(  Would  that  my  husband  were 
here  and  could  listen  to  me  ;  I  should  permit,  nay,  urge  him  to  stay 
other  twelve  years,  if  it  would  benefit  him.^  Strange  to  say  Akiva 
taking  the  hint  from  his  wife,  turned  away  and  left  Jerusalem  with¬ 
out  ever  seeing  her.  He  went  abroad  again  for  a  time,  and  then  re¬ 
turned  for  good  ;  this  time,  so  the  story  says,  with  twice  twelve  thou¬ 
sand  disciples.  Well-nigh  all  Jerusalem  turned  out  to  do  him  honor, 
every  one  striving  to  be  foremost  to  welcome  him.  Calba  Shevua, 
who  for  many  a  long  year  had  repented  of  his  hasty  resolution,  which 
cost  him  at  once  his  daughter  and  his  happiness,  went  to  Akiva  to 
ask  his  opinion  about  annnulling  this  vow.  Akiva  replied  by  making 
himself  known  as  his  quondam  servant  and  rejected  son-in-law.  As 
we  may  suppose,  the  two  were  at  once  reconciled,  and  Calba  Shevua 
looked  upon  himself  as  favored  of  Heaven  above  all  the  fathers  in 

Israel. 

The  Rabbis  say  that  at  first  they  used  to  communicate 
the  Divine  name  of  twelve  letters  to  every  one.  But  when 
the  Antinomians  began  to  abound,  the  knowledge  of  this 
name  was  imparted  only  to  the  more  discreet  of  the  priestly 
order,  and  they  repeated  it  hastily  while  the  other  priests 
pronounced  the  benediction  of  the  people.  ( What  the  name  was, 
says  Rashi,  is  not  known.)  Rabbi  Tarphon,  the  story  goes 
on  to  say,  once  listened  to  the  high  priest,  and  overheard 
him  hurriedly  pronouncing  this  name  of  twelve  letters  while 
the  other  priests  were  blessing  the  people. 

Kiddushin,  fol.  71,  col.  1. 

Twelve  hours  there  are  in  the  day :  —  The  first  three,  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  employs  in  studying  the  law  ; 
the  next  three  He  sits  and  judges  the  whole  world  ;  the 
third  three  He  spends  in  feeding  all  the  world  ;  during  the 
last  three  hours  He  sports  with  the  leviathan  ;  as  it 
is  said  (Ps.  civ.  26),  (( This  leviathan  Thou  hast  created  to 
play  with  it.®  Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  3,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  bar  Chanena  said  :  —  The  day  consists 
of  twelve  hours.  During  the  first  hour  Adam’s  dust  was 


THE  TALMUD 


129 


collected  from  all  parts  of  the  world  ;  during  the  second  it  was 
made  into  a  lump  ;  during  the  third  his  limbs  were  formed  ; 
during  the  fourth  his  body  was  animated  ;  during  the  fifth 
he  stood  upon  his  legs ;  during  the  sixth  he  gave  names  to 
the  animals ;  during  the  seventh  he  associated  with  Eve  ; 
during  the  eighth  Cain  and  a  twin  sister  were  born  (Abel 
and  his  twin  sister  were  born  after  the  Fall,  says  the  Tos- 
ephoth)  ;  during  the  ninth  Adam  was  ordered  not  to  eat  of 
the  forbidden  tree  ;  during  the  tenth  he  fell ;  during  the 
eleventh  he  was  judged  ;  and  during  the  twelfth  he  was 
ejected  from  paradise  ;  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  xlix.  13,  A.  V. 
12),  <(  Man  (Adam)  abode  not  one  night  in  his  dignity. w 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  38,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Akiva  used  to  say:  —  Of  five  judgments,  some 
have  lasted  twelve  months,  others  will  do  so ;  —  those  of 
the  deluge,  of  Job,  of  the  Egyptians,  of  Gog  and  Magog, 
and  of  the  wicked  in  Gehenna.  Edioth ,  chap.  2,  mish.  10. 

Plagues  come  upon  those  that  are  proud,  as  was  the  case 
with  Uzziah  (2  Chron.  xxvi.  16),  <(  But  when  he  was 
strong  (proud),  his  heart  was  lifted  up  to  destruction. >} 
When  the  leprosy  rose  up  in  his  forehead,  the  Temple  was 
cleft  asunder  twelve  miles  either  way. 

Avoth  d'Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  9. 

This  hyperbole  is  evidently  a  mere  fiction  joined  on  to  a  truth  for 
the  purpose  of  frightening  the  proud  into  humility.  The  end  sancti- 
fieth  the  means,  as  we  well  know  from  other  instances  recorded  in 
the  Talmud. 

Those  who  mourn  for  deceased  relatives  are  prohibited 
from  entering  a  tavern  for  thirty  days,  but  those  who 
mourn  for  either  father  or  mother  must  not  do  so  for 
twelve  months.  Semachoth,  chap.  9. 

A  creature  that  has  no  bones  in  his  body  does  not  live 
more  than  twelve  months.  Chullin ,  fol.  58,  col.  1. 

The  Alexandrians  asked  Rabbi  Joshua  twelve  questions; 
three  related  to  matters  of  wisdom,  three  to  matters  of 
legend,  three  were  frivolous,  and  three  were  of  a  worldly 
nature  —  viz,  how  to  grow  wise,  how  to  become  rich,  and 
how  to  ensure  a  family  of  boys.  Niddah ,  fol.  69,  col.  2.. 

9 


130 


THE  TALMUD 


There  was  once  a  man  named  Joseph,  who  was  renowned 
for  honoring  the  Sabbath-day.  He  had  a  rich  neighbor,  a 
Gentile,  whose  property  a  certain  fortune-teller  had  said 
would  eventually  revert  to  Joseph  the  Sabbatarian.  To 
frustrate  this  prediction  the  Gentile  disposed  of  his  property, 
and  with  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  he  purchased  a  rare  and 
costly  jewel  which  he  fixed  to  his  turban.  On  crossing  a 
bridge  a  gust  of  wind  blew  his  turban  into  the  river  and  a 
fish  swallowed  it.  This  fish  being  caught,  was  brought  on 
a  Friday  to  market,  and,  as  luck  would  have  it,  it  was 
bought  by  Joseph  in  honor  of  the  coming  Sabbath.  When 
the  fish  was  cut  up  the  jewel  was  found,  and  this  Joseph 
sold  for  thirteen  purses  of  gold  denarii.  When  his  neigh¬ 
bor  met  him,  he  acknowledged  that  he  who  despised  the 
Sabbath  the  Lord  of  the  Sabbath  would  be  sure  to  punish. 

Shabbathy  fol.  119,  col.  1. 

This  story  cannot  fail  to  remind  those  who  are  conversant  with 
Herodotus  or  Schiller  of  the  legend  of  King  Polycrates,  which  dates 
back  five  or  six  centuries  before  the  present  era.  Polycrates,  the  king 
of  Samos,  was  one  of  the  most  fortunate  of  men,  and  everything  he 
took  in  hand  was  fabled  to  prosper.  This  unbroken  series  of  successes 
caused  disquietude  to  his  friends,  who  saw  in  the  circumstance  fore¬ 
boding  of  some  dire  disaster  ;  till  Amasis,  king  of  Egypt,  one  of  the 
number  advised  him  to  spurn  the  favor  of  fortune  by  throwing  away  what 
he  valued  dearest.  The  most  valuable  thing  he  possessed  was  an  emerald 
signet-ring,  and  this  accordingly  he  resolved  to  sacrifice.  So,  man¬ 
ning  a  galley,  he  rowed  out  to  the  sea,  and  threw  the  ring  away  into 
the  waste  of  the  waters.  Some  five  or  six  days  after  this,  a  fisherman 
came  to  the  palace  and  made  the  king  a  present  of  a  very  fine  fish 
that  he  had  caught.  This  the  servants  proceeded  to  open,  when,  to 
their  surprise,  they  came  upon  a  ring,  which  on  examination 
proved  to  be  the  very  ring  which  had  been  cast  away  by  the  king 
their  master.  (See  Herodotus,  book  iii. ) 

Among  the  many  legends  that  have  clustered  round  the  memory  of 
Solomon,  there  is  one  which  reads  very  much  like  an  adaptation  of 
this  classic  story.  The  version  the  Talmud  gives  of  this  story  is  quoted 
in  another  part  of  this  Miscellany  (chap.  vi.  No.  8,  note) ,  but  in  Emek 
Hammelech,  fol.  14,  col.  4,  we  have  the  legend  in  another  form,  with 
much  amplitude  and  variety  of  detail,  of  which  we  can  give  here  only 
an  outline.  When  the  building  of  the  Temple  was  finished,  the  king 
of  the  demons  begged  Solomon  to  set  him  free  from  his  service,  and 
promised  in  return  to  teach  him  a  secret  he  would  be  sure  to  value. 
Having  cajoled  Solomon  out  of  possession  of  his  signet-ring,  he  first 
flung  the  ring  into  the  sea,  where  it  was  swallowed  by  a  fish,  and 


THE  TALMUD 


131 

then  taking  up  Solomon  himself,  he  cast  him  into  a  foreign  land  some 
four  hundred  miles  away,  where  for  three  weary  long  years  he  wan¬ 
dered  up  and  down  like  a  vagrant,  begging  his  bread  from  door  to 
door.  In  the  course  of  his  rambles  he  came  to  Mash  Kemim,  and 
was  so  fortunate  as  to  be  appointed  head  cook  at  the  palace  of  the 
king  of  Ammon  (Ana  Hanun,  see  1  Kings  xii.  24  ;  LXX.).  While 
employed  in  this  office,  Naama,  the  king’s  daughter  (see  1  Kings  xiv. 
21,  31,  and  2  Chron.  xii.  13),  fell  in  love  with  him,  and,  determining 
to  marry  him,  eloped  with  him  for  refuge  to  a  distant  land.  One  day 
as  Naama  was  preparing  a  fish  for  dinner,  she  found  in  it  a  ring,  and 
this  turned  out  to  be  the  very  ring  which  the  king  of  the  demons  had 
flung  into  the  sea,  and  the  loss  of  which  had  bewitched  the  king  out 
of  his  power  and  dominion.  In  the  recovery  of  the  ring  the  king  both 
recovered  himself  and  the  throne  of  his  father  David. 

The  occurrence  of  a  fish  and  a  ring  on  the  arms  of  the  city  of 
Glasgow  memorializes  a  legend  in  which  we  find  the  same  singu¬ 
lar  combination  of  circumstances.  A  certain  queen  of  the  district  one 
day  gave  her  paramour  a  golden  ring  which  the  king  her  husband  had 
committed  to  her  charge  as  a  keepsake.  By  some  means  or  other  the 
king  got  to  know  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  ring,  and  cleverly  contriving 
to  secure  possession  of  it,  threw  it  into  the  sea.  He  then  went  straight 
to  the  queen  and  demanded  to  know  where  it  was  and  what  she  had 
done  with  it.  The  queen  in  her  distress  repaired  to  St.  Kentigern, 
and  both  made  full  confession  of  her  guilt  and  her  anxiety  about  the 
recovery  of  the  ring,  that  she  might  regain  the  lost  favor  of  her  hus¬ 
band.  The  saint  set  off  at  once  to  the  Clyde,  and  there  caught  a 
salmon  and  the  identical  ring  in  the  mouth  of  it.  This  he  handed 
over  to  the  queen,  who  returned  it  to  her  lord  with  such  expressions  of 
penitence  that  the  restoration  of  it  became  the  bond  and  pledge  be¬ 
tween  them  of  a  higher  and  holier  wedlock. 

There  were  thirteen  horn-shaped  collecting-boxes,  and 
thirteen  tables,  and  thirteen  devotional  bowings  in  the  Tem¬ 
ple  service.  Those  who  belonged  to  the  houses  of  Rabbi 
Gamliel  and  of  Rabbi  Chananiah,  the  president  of  the  priests, 
bowed  fourteen  times.  This  extra  act  of  bowing  was  di¬ 
rected  to  the  quarter  of  the  wood  store,  in  consequence  of 
a  tradition  they  inherited  from  their  ancestors  that  the  Ark 
of  the  Covenant  was  hidden  in  that  locality.  The  origin 
of  the  tradition  was  this  :  —  A  priest,  being  once  engaged 
near  the  wood  store,  and  observing  that  part  of  the  plaster 
differed  from  the  rest,  went  to  tell  his  companions,  but 
died  before  he  had  time  to  relate  his  discovery.  Thus  it 
became  known  for  certain  that  the  Ark  was  hidden  there. 

Shekalim ,  chap.  3,  hal.  1. 


132 


THE  TALMUD 


It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  Chananiah,  mentioned  above, 
is  the  person  alluded  to  in  the  Acts,  chap,  xxiii.  2,  as  <(  the  high 
priest  Ananias.”  For  the  tradition  about  the  Ark.  see  also  2  Macc. 
ii.  4,  5- 

There  were  thirteen  horn-shaped  collecting-boxes  in  the 
Temple,  and  upon  them  were  inscribed  new  shekels,  old 
shekels,  turtle-dove  offerings,  young-pigeon  offerings,  fire¬ 
wood,  contributions  for  Galbanus,  gold  for  the  mercy-seat ; 
and  six  boxes  were  inscribed  for  voluntary  contributions. 
New  shekels  were  for  the  current  year,  old  shekels  were  for 
the  past  one.  Yoma,  fol.  55,  col,  2. 

Once  on  account  of  long-continued  drought  Rabbi  Eliezer 
proclaimed  thirteen  public  fasts,  but  no  rain  came.  At  the 
termination  of  the  last  fast,  just  as  the  congregation  was 
leaving  the  synagogue,  he  cried  aloud,  “  Have  you  then 
prepared  graves  for  yourselves  ? ”  Upon  this  all  the  people 
burst  into  bitter  cries,  and  rain  came  down  directly. 

Taaiiith,  fol.  25,  col.  2. 

A  boy  at  thirteen  years  of  age  is  bound  to  observe  the 
usual  fasts  in  full,  i.  e.}  throughout  the  whole  day.  A  girl 
is  bound  to  do  so  when  only  twelve.  Rashi  gives  this  as 
the  reason  :  —  A  boy  is  supposed  to  be  weaker  than  a  girl 
on  account  of  the  enervating  effect  of  much  study. 

Kethuboth,  fol.  5,  col.  1. 

A  poor  man  once  came  to  Rava  and  begged  for  a  meal. 
<(  On  what  dost  thou  usually  dine  ? ”  asked  Rava.  <(  On 
stuffed  fowl  and  old  wine,”  was  the  reply.  “What!”  said 
Rava,  “  art  thou  not  concerned  about  being  so  burdensome 
to  the  community  ?  ”  He  replied,  “  I  eat  nothing  belonging 
to  them,  only  what  the  Eord  provides  ;  ”  as  we  are  taught 
{Ps.  cxlv.  15),  (The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  Thee,  and  Thou 
givest  them  their  meat  in  his  season.*  It  is  not  said  in 
their  season,  for  so  we  learn  that  God  provides  for  each  in¬ 
dividual  in  his  season  of  need.”  While  they  were  thus 
talking,  in  came  Rava’s  sister,  who  had  not  been  to  see 
him  for  thirteen  years,  and  she  brought  him  as  a  present  a 
stuffed  fowl  and  some  old  wine  also.  Rava  marveled  at  the 
coincidence,  and  turning  to  his  poor  visitor  said,  “  I  beg 
thy  pardon,  friend;  rise,  I  pray  thee,  and  eat.” 

Ibid.,  fol.  67,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


i33 


So  great  is  circumcision  that  thirteen  covenants  were 
made  concerning  it.  Tosafoth  says  that  covenant  is  written 
thirteen  times  in  the  chapter  of  circumcision. 

Nedarim ,  fol.  31,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  (the  Holy)  says  sufferings  are  to  be  borne  with  res¬ 
ignation.  He  himself  bore  them  submissively  for  thirteen 
years ;  for  six  he  suffered  from  lithiasis,  and  for  seven  years 
from  stomatitis  (or,  as  some  say,  six  years  from  the 
former  and  seven  from  the  latter).  His  groans  were  heard 
three  miles  off.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  85,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  thirteen  things  respecting  break¬ 
fast  ( morning- morsel )  :  —  It  counteracts  the  effects  of  heat, 
cold  or  draught ;  it  protects  from  malignant  demons ;  it 
makes  wise  the  simple  by  keeping  the  mind  in  a  healthy  con¬ 
dition  ;  it  enables  a  man  to  come  off  clear  from  a  judicial 
inquiry ;  it  qualifies  him  both  to  learn  and  to  teach  the 
law ;  it  makes  him  eagerly  listened  to,  to  have  a  retentive 
memory,  etc.  Ibid.,  fol.  107,  col.  2. 

The  land  of  Israel  is  in  the  future  to  be  divided  among 
thirteen  tribes,  and  not,  as  at  first,  among  twelve. 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  122,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Abhu  once  complimented  Rav  Saphra  before  the 
Minim  by  singling  him  out  in  their  hearing  as  a  man  distin¬ 
guished  by  his  learning,  and  this  led  them  to  exempt  him 
from  tribute  for  thirteen  years.  It  so  happened  that  these 
Minim  once  posed  Saphra  about  that  which  is  written  in 
Amos  iii.  2,  (<  You  only  have  I  known  of  all  the  families 
of  the  earth ;  therefore  I  will  punish  you  for  all  your  in¬ 
iquities.”  <(Ye  say  you  are  God’s  friends,  but  when  one 
has  a  friend  does  he  pour  out  his  wrath  upon  him  ? ”  To 
this  Rav  Saphra  make  no  reply.  They  then  put  a  rope  round 
his  neck  and  tormented  him.  When  he  was  in  this  sorry 
plight,  Rabbi  Abhu  came  up  and  inquired  why  they  tor¬ 
mented  him  thus.  To  this  they  made  answer,  (<  Didst  thou 
not  tell  us  that  he  was  a  very  learned  man,  and  he  does  not 
even  know  how  to  explain  a  text  of  Scripture  ?  *  <(  Yes,  I 

did  so  say,”  replied  Rabbi  Abhu;  (<  he  is  an  adept  in  the 
Talmud  only,  but  not  in  the  Scriptures.”  (<  Thou  knowest 
the  Scriptures ;  ”  they  replied,  (<  and  why  ought  he  not  to 


134 


THE  TALMUD 


know  them  as  well?  ®  <(  I  have  daily  intercourse  with  you,” 

said  the  Rabbi,  <(  and  therefore  I  am  obliged  to  study  the 
Scriptures,  but  he,  having  no  intercourse  with  you,  has  no 
need  to  trouble  himself,  and  does  not  at  all  care  about  them. ® 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  4,  col.  1. 

In  order  to  understand  aright  the  grounds  on  which  Rabbi  Abhu 
would  fain  excuse  Rav  Saphra  for  not  caring  at  all  about  the  Scrip¬ 
tures,  certain  passages  from  both  Talmuds  should  be  read,  which,  in 
the  usual  metaphorical  style  of  the  Rabbis,  set  forth  the  respective 
merits  of  Scripture  and  Tradition.  The  three  times  three  in  Sophrim 
(chap.  15),  in  which  the  Scripture  is  compared  to  water,  the  Mishna 
to  wine,  and  the  Gemara  to  mulled  wine,  and  that  in  which  the  Scrip¬ 
ture  is  likened  to  salt,  the  Mishna  to  pepper,  and  the  Gemara  to 
spice,  and  so  on,  are  too  well  known  to  need  more  than  passing  men¬ 
tion  ;  but  far  less  familiar  and  much  more  explicit  is  the  exposition 
of  Zech.  viii.  10,  as  given  in  T.  B.  Chaggigah,  fol.  10,  col.  1,  where, 
commenting  on  the  Scripture  text,  <(  Neither,  was  there  any  peace  to 
him  that  went  out  or  came  in,^  Rav  expressly  says,  <(  He  who  leaves 
a  matter  of  Halachah  for  a  matter  of  Scripture  shall  never  more  have 
peace  ; w  to  which  Shemuel  adds,  <(  Aye,  and  he  also  who  leaves  the 
Talmud  for  the  Mishna;  w  Rabbi  Yochanan  chiming  in  with  <(even 
from  Talmud  to  Talmud  ;  w  as  if  to  say,  <(  And  he  who  turns  from  the 
Babli  to  the  Yerushalmi,  even  he  shall  have  no  peace. )}  If  we  refer  to 
the  Mishna  (chap.  1,  hal.  7)  of  Berachoth  in  the  last-named  Talmud, 
we  read  there  that  Rabbi  Tarphon,  bent,  while  on  a  journey,  on  read¬ 
ing  the  Shema  according  to  the  school  of  Shammai,  ran  the  risk  of 
falling  into  the  hands  of  certain  banditti  whom  he  had  not  noticed 
near  him.  <(  It  would  have  served  you  right, w  remarked  one,  (( be¬ 
cause  you  did  not  follow  the  rule  of  Hillel.®  In  the  Gemara  to  this 
passage  Rabbi  Yochanan  says,  <(The  words  of  the  scribes  are  more 
highly  valued  than  the  words  of  the  law,  for,  as  Rabbi  Yuda  remarks, 
( If  Rabbi  Tarphon  had  not  read  the  Shema  at  all  he  would  only 
have  broken  a  positive  command,5  but  since  he  transgressed  the  rule 
of  Hillel  he  was  guilty  of  death,  for  it  is  written,  (He  who  breaks 
down  a  hedge  (the  Rabbinic  hedge  to  the  law,  of  course),  a  serpent 
shall  bite  him  > (Eccles.  x.  8).  Then  Rabbi  Chanina,  the  son  of 
Rabbi  Ana,  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Tanchum,  the  son  of  Rabbi  Cheyah, 
says,  <(The  words  of  the  elders  are  more  important  than  the  words  of 
the  prophets. w  A  prophet  and  an  elder,  whom  do  they  resemble  ? 
They  are  like  twTo  ambassadors  sent  by  a  king  to  a  province.  About 
the  one  he  sends  word  saying,  <(  If  he  does  not  present  credentials 
writh  my  signature  and  seal,  trust  him  not ; whereas  the  other  is 
accredited  without  any  such  token ;  for  in  regard  to  the  prophet  it  is 
written  (Deut.  xiii.  2),  <(  He  giveth  thee  a  sign  or  token  ; w  while  in 
reference  to  the  elders  it  is  written  (Deut.  xvii.  11),  <(  According  to 
the  decision  wdiich  they  may  say  unto  thee  shalt  thou  do ;  thou  shalt 


THE  TALMUD 


135 


not  depart  from  the  sentence  which  they  may  tell  thee,  to  the  right 
or  to  the  left.®  Rashi’s  comment  on  this  text  is  worth  notice:  <(Even 
when  they  tell  thee  that  right  is  left  and  left  is  rights  In  a  word,  a 
wise  man  (i.  <?.,  a  Rabbi)  is  better  than  a  prophet.  (Bava  Bathra , 
fol.  12,  col.  1.) 

Oved,  the  Galilean,  has  expounded  that  there  are  thirteen 
vavs  (i.  e.,  the  letter  vav  occurs  thirteen  times)  in  connec¬ 
tion  with  wine.  Vav  in  Syriac  means  woe. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  70,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  have  a  curious  Haggada  respecting  the  origin  of  the 
culture  of  the  vine.  Once  while  Noah  was  hard  at  work  breaking  up 
the  fallow  ground  for  a  vineyard,  Satan  drew  near  and  inquired  what 
he  was  doing.  On  ascertaining  that  the  patriarch  was  about  to  culti¬ 
vate  the  grape,  which  he  valued  both  for  its  fruit  and  its  juice,  he  at 
once  volunteered  to  assist  him  at  his  task,  and  began  to  manure  the 
soil  with  the  blood  of  a  lamb,  a  lion,  a  pig,  and  a  monkey.  <(Now,® 
said  he,  when  his  work  was  done,  (<of  those  who  taste  the  juice  of 
the  grape,  some  will  become  meek  and  gentle  as  the  lamb,  some  bold 
and  fearless  as  the  lion,  some  foul  and  beastly  as  the  pig,  and  others 
frolicsome  and  lively  as  the  monkey.®  This  quaint  story  may  be 
found  more  fully  detailed  in  the  Midrash  Tanchuma  (see  Noah)  and 
the  Yalkut  on  Genesis.  The  Mohammedan  legend  is  somewhat  simi¬ 
lar.  It  relates  how  Satan  on  the  like  occasion  used  the  blood  of  a 
peacock,  of  an  ape,  of  a  lion,  and  of  a  pig,  and  it  deduces  from  the 
abuse  of  the  vine  the  curse  that  fell  on  the  children  of  Ham,  and  as¬ 
cribes  the  color  of  the  purple  grape  to  the  dark  hue  which  thence¬ 
forth  tinctured  all  the  fruit  of  their  land  as  well  as  their  own 
complexions. 

At  thirteen  years  of  age,  a  boy  becomes  bound  to  ob¬ 
serve  the  (613)  precepts  of  the  law.  Avoth ,  chap.  5. 

Rabbi  Ishmael  says  the  law  is  to  be  expounded  accord¬ 
ing  to  thirteen  logical  rules.  Chullin,  fol.  63,  col.  1. 

The  thirteen  rules  of  Rabbi  Ishmael  above  referred  to  are  not  to 
be  found  together  in  any  part  of  the  Talmud,  but  they  are  collected 
for  repetition  in  the  Liturgy,  and  are  as  follows :  — 

1.  Inference  is  valid  from  minor  to  major. 

2.  From  similar  phraseology. 

3.  From  the  gist  or  main  point  of  one  text  to  that  of  other 
passages. 

4.  Of  general  and  particular. 

5.  Of  particular  and  general. 

6.  From  a  general,  or  a  particular  and  a  general,  the  ruling  both 
of  the  former  and  the  latter  is  to  be  according  to  the  middle  term, 
i.  e.,  the  one  which  is  particularized. 


136 


THE  TALMUD 


7.  From  a  general  text  that  requires  a  particular  instance,  and 

vice  versd. 

8.  When  a  particular  rule  is  laid  down  for  something  which  has 
already  been  included  in  a  general  law,  the  rule  is  to  apply  to  all. 

9.  When  a  general  rule  has  an  exception,  the  exception  mitigates 
and  does  not  aggravate  the  rule. 

10.  When  a  general  rule  has  an  exception  not  according  there¬ 
with,  the  exception  both  mitigates  and  aggravates. 

11.  When  an  exception  to  a  general  rule  is  made  to  substantiate 
extraneous  matter,  that  matter  cannot  be  classed  under  the  said  gen¬ 
eral  rule,  unless  the  Scripture  expressly  says  so. 

12.  The  ruling  is  to  be  according  to  the  context,  or  to  the  general 
drift  of  the  argument. 

13.  When  two  texts  are  contradictory,  a  third  is  to  be  sought  that 
reconciles  them. 

Rabbi  Akiva  was  forty  years  of  age  when  he  began  to 
study,  and  after  thirteen  years  of  study  he  began  publicly 
to  teach.  Avoih  d’Rab.  Nathan. 

Thirteen  treasurers  and  seven  directors  were  appointed 
to  serve  in  the  Temple.  (More  there  might  be,  never  less.) 

Tamid)  fol.  27,  col.  1. 

Thirteen  points  of  law  regulate  the  decisions  that  require 
to  be  made  relative  to  the  carcass  of  a  clean  bird. 

Taharoth ,  chap.  1,  mish.  1. 

A  man  must  partake  of  fourteen  meals  in  the  booth  dur¬ 
ing  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles.  Succah ,  fol.  27,  col.  1. 

Traditional  chronology  records  that  the  Israelites  killed 
the  Paschal  lamb  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  Nisan,  the 
month  on  which  they  came  out  of  Egypt.  They  came  out 
on  the  fifteenth  ;  that  day  was  a  Friday. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  88,  col.  1. 

The  fifteen  steps  were  according  to  the  number  of  the 
Songs  of  Degrees  in  the  Psalms.  It  is  related  that  whoso¬ 
ever  has  not  seen  the  joy  at  the  annual  ceremony  of  the 
water-drawing,  has  not  seen  rejoicing  in  his  life.  At  the 
conclusion  of  the  first  part  of  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  the 
Priests  and  Levites  descended  into  the  women’s  ante-court, 
where  they  made  great  preparations  (such  as  erecting  tem¬ 
porary  double  galleries,  the  uppermost  for  women,  and 
those  under  for  men).  There  were  golden  candelabra 


THE  TALMUD 


i37 


there,  each  having  four  golden  bowls  on  the  top,  four  lad¬ 
ders  reaching  to  them,  and  four  of  the  young  priests  with 
cruses  of  oil  ready  to  supply  them,  each  cruse  holding  one 
hundred  and  twenty  logs  of  oil.  The  lamp-wicks  were 
made  of  the  worn-out  drawers  and  girdles  of  the  priests. 
There  was  not  a  court  in  all  Jerusalem  that  was  not  lit  up  by 
the  illumination  of  the  <(  water-drawing. })  Holy  men,  and 
men  of  dignity,  with  flaming  torches  in  their  hands,  danced 
before  the  people,  rehearsing  songs  and  singing  praises.  The 
Levites,  with  harps,  lutes,  cymbals,  trumpets,  and  innum¬ 
erable  musical  instruments,  were  stationed  on  the  fifteen 
steps  which  led  from  the  ante-court  of  Israel  to  the 
women’s  court ;  the  Levites  stood  upon  the  steps  and 
played  and  sang.  Two  priests  stood  at  the  upper  gate 
which  led  from  the  ante-court  for  Israel  to  that  for  the 
women,  each  provided  with  a  trumpet,  and  as  soon  as  the 
cock  crew  they  blew  one  simple  blast,  then  a  compound  or 
fragmentary  one,  and  then  a  modulated  or  shouting  blast. 
This  was  the  preconcerted  signal  for  the  drawing  of  the 
water.  As  soon  as  they  reached  the  tenth  step,  they  blew 
again  three  blasts  as  before.  When  they  came  to  the  ante- 
court  for  women,  they  blew  another  three  blasts,  and  after 
that  they  continued  blowing  till  they  came  to  the  east 
gate.  When  they  arrived  at  the  east  gate,  they  turned 
their  faces  westward  (z.  <?. ,  toward  the  Temple),  and  said, 
<(Our  fathers,  who  were  in  this  place,  turned  their  backs 
toward  the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  and  their  faces  toward  the 
East,  for  they  worshiped  the  sun  in  the  East ;  but  we  turn 
our  eyes  to  God  !  w  Rabbi  Yehudah  says,  (<  These  words 
were  repeated,  echoing,  (We  are  for  God,  and  unto  God 
are  our  eyes  directed  !  }  Succah ,  fol.  51,  col.  1,  2. 

Rabbon  Shimon  ben  Gamliel  has  said  there  were  no  such 
gala-days  for  Israel  as  the  fifteenth  of  Ab  and  the  Day  of 
Atonement,  when  the  young  maidens  of  Jerusalem  used  to 
resort  to  the  vineyard  all  robed  in  white  garments,  that 
were  required  to  be  borrowed,  lest  those  should  feel  humil¬ 
iated  who  had  none  of  their  own.  There  they  danced 
gleefully,  calling  to  the  lookers-on  and  saying,  (<  Young 
men,  have  a  care ;  the  choice  you  now  make  may  have 
consequences. »  Taanith ,  fol.  26,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


138 

Rabbi  Elazar  the  Great  said,  (<From  the  fifteenth  of  Ab 
the  influence  of  the  sun  declines,  and  from  that  day  they 
leave  off  cutting  wood  for  the  altar  fire,  because  it  could 
not  be  properly  dried  (and  green  wood  might  harbor 
vermin,  which  would  make  it  unfit  for  use).^ 

Taanith ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

He  who  eats  turnips  to  beef,  and  sleeps  out  in  the  open 
air  during  the  night  of  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  days 
of  the  months  of  summer  (that  is,  when  the  moon  is  full), 

will  most  likely  bring  on  an  ague  fever. 

Gitiin,  fol.  70,  col.  1. 

A  lad  should,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  begin  to  apply  him¬ 
self  to  the  Gemara.  Avotk,  chap.  5. 

<(So  I  bought  her  to  me  for  fifteen  ®  (Hosea  iii.  2), 
that  is,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  Nisan,  when  Israel  was  re¬ 
deemed  from  the  bondage  of  Egypt.  <(  Silver  ; }>  this  refers 
to  the  righteous.  <(  An  homer  and  a  half-homer ; these 
equal  forty-five  measures,  and  are  the  forty-five  righteous 
men  for  whose  sake  the  world  is  preserved.  I  don’t  know 
whether  there  are  thirty  here  (that  is,  in  Babylon),  and 
fifteen  in  the  land  of  Israel,  or  vice  versd ;  as  it  is  said 
(Zech.  xi.  13),  <(  I  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver  and  cast 
them  to  the  potter  in  the  house  of  the  Eord.”  It  stands 
to  reason  that  there  are  thirty  in  the  land  of  Israel,  and, 
therefore,  fifteen  here.  Abaii  says  that  the  greater  part  are 
to  be  found  under  the  gable  end  of  the  synagogue.  Rav 
Yehudah  says  the  reference  is  to  the  thirty  righteous  men 
always  found  among  the  nations  of  the  world  for  whose 
sake  they  are  preserved  (but  see  No.  103  infra).  Ulla 
says  it  refers  to  the  thirty  precepts  received  by  the  nations 
of  the  world,  of  which,  however,  they  keep  three  only ; 
i.  e.}  they  do  not  enter  into  formal  marriage-contracts  with 
men  ;  they  do  not  expose  for  sale  the  bodies  of  such  ani¬ 
mals  as  have  died  from  natural  causes  ;  and  they  have  re¬ 
gard  for  the  law.  Chullin ,  fol.  92,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Cheyah  bar  Abba  says,  <(  I  once  visited  a  house¬ 
holder  at  Ludkia,  and  they  placed  before  him  a  golden 
table  so  loaded  with  silver  plate,  basins,  cups,  bottles  and 
glasses,  besides  all  sorts  of  dishes,  delicacies,  and  spices, 


THE  TALMUD 


i39 


that  it  took  sixteen  men  to  carry  it.  When  they  set  the 
table  in  its  place  they  said  (Ps.  xxiv.  1),  ( The  earth  is 
the  Lord’s  and  the  fullness  thereof,5  and  upon  removing 
it,  they  said  (Ps.  cxv.  16),  (The  heaven,  even  the 
heavens,  are  the  Lord’s,  but  the  earth  hath  He  given  to 
the  children  of  men.5  I  said,  (Son,  how  hast  thou  come 
to  deserve  all  this?5  (I  was,5  replied  he,  ( a.  butcher  by 
trade,  and  I  always  set  apart  for  the  Sabbath  the  best  of 
the  cattle.5  ( How  happy  art  thou,5  I  remarked  (adds 
Rabbi  Cheyah),  ( to  have  merited  such  a  reward,  and 
blessed  be  God  who  has  thus  rewarded  thee. 5  55 

Shabbath ,  fol.  119,  col.  1. 

Rash  Lakish  said,  <(  I  have  seen  the  flow  of  milk  and 
honey  at  Tzipori  ;  it  was  sixteen  miles  by  sixteen  miles.55 

Meggillah ,  fol.  6,  col.  1. 

Rashi  explains  the  above  as  follows :  —  The  goats  fed  upon  figs 
from  which  honey  distilled,  and  this  mingled  with  the  milk  which 
dropped  from  the  goats  as  they  walked  along.  On  the  spot  arose  a 
lake  which  covered  an  area  of  sixteen  miles  square.  (See  also  Kethu- 
both,  fol.  hi,  col.  2.) 

A  cedar  tree  once  fell  down  in  our  place,  the  trunk  of 
which  was  so  wide  that  sixteen  wagons  were  drawn 
abreast  upon  it.  Bechoroth ,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

Who  can  estimate  the  loss  the  world  sustains  in  its  ignorance  of 
the  trees  of  the  Talmud?  What  a  sapling  in  comparison  with  this 
giant  cedar  of  Lebanon  must  the  far-famed  Mammoth  tree  have  been 
which  was  lately  cut  down  in  California,  and  was  the  largest  known 
to  the  present  generation ! 

Rabbi  Yochanan  plaintively  records,  <(  I  remember  the 
time  when  a  young  man  and  a  young  woman  sixteen  or 
seventeen  years  of  age  could  walk  together  in  the  streets 
and  no  harm  came  of  it.55  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  91,  col.  2. 

On  the  deposition  of  Rabbon  Gamliel,  Rabbi  Eleazar  ben 
Azariah  was  chosen  as  his  successor  to  the  presidential 
chair  of  the  academy.  On  being  told  of  his  elevation,  he 
consulted  with  his  wife  as  to  whether  or  not  he  should  ac¬ 
cept  the  appointment.  <(  What  if  they  should  depose  thee 
also?55  asked  his  wife.  He  replied,  ((  Use  the  precious  bowl 
while  thou  hast  it,  even  if  it  be  broken  the  next.55  But 


140 


THE  TALMUD 


she  rejoined,  <(  Thou  art  only  eighteen  years  old,  and  how 
canst  thou  at  such  an  age  expect  folks  to  venerate  thee  ? }) 
By  a  miracle  eighteen  of  his  locks  turned  suddenly  gray, 
so  that  he  could  say,  (<  I  am  as  one  of  seventy.  ® 

Berachoth ,  fol.  27,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  Shimon  Happikoli  had  ar¬ 
ranged  the  eighteen  benedictions  before  Rabbon  Gamliel  at 
Javneh.  Rabbon  Gamliel  appealed  to  the  sages,  <(  Is  there 
not  a  man  who  knows  how  to  compose  an  imprecation 
against  the  Sadducees  ?  }>  Then  Samuel  the  Little  stood  up 
and  extemporized  it.  Ibid.,  fol.  28,  col.  2. 

The  (<  imprecation  against  the  Sadducees ”  .stands  twelfth  among  the 
collects  of  the  Shemoneh  Esreh.  It  is  popularly  known  as  <(  Velatna- 
leshinim ”  from  its  opening  words,  and  is  given  thus  in  modern 
Ashkenazi  liturgies :  — <(  Oh,  let  the  slanderers  have  no  hope,  all  the 
wicked  be  annihilated  speedily,  and  all  the  tyrants  be  cut  off,  hurled 
down  and  reduced  speedily ;  humble  Thou  them  quickly  in  our 
days.  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  who  destroyest  enemies  and  hum¬ 
blest  tyrants. ”  There  has  been  much  misconception  with  regard  to  this 
collect  against  heretics.  There  is  every  reason  to  believe  it  was  com-  . 
posed  without  any  reference  whatever  to  the  Christians.  One  point  of 
interest,  however,  in  connection  with  it  is  worth  relating  here.  Some 
have  sought  to  identify  the  author  of  it,  Samuel  the  Little,  with  the 
Apostle  Paul,  grounded  the  conclusion  on  his  original  Hebrew  name, 
Saul.  They  take  Paulus  as  equal  to  pusillus,  which  means  <(  very  lit¬ 
tle  ”  or  <(  the  less,”  and  answers  to  the  word  Hakaton ,  a  term  of  similar 
import.  Samuel,  however,  died  a  good  Jew  (see  Semachoth,  chap.  8), 
and  Rabbon  Gamliel  Hazaken  and  Rabbi  Eleazar  ben  Azariah  pro¬ 
nounced  a  funeral  oration  at  his  burial.  (( His  key  and  his  diary  were 
placed  on  his  coffin,  because  he  had  no  son  to  succeed  him.”  (See 
also  Sanhedrin,  fol.  11,  col.  1.) 

Eighteen  denunciations  did  Isaiah  make  against  the  peo¬ 
ple  of  Israel,  and  he  recovered  not  his  equanimity  until  he 
was  able  to  add,  <(  The  child  shall  behave  himself  proudly 
against  the  ancient,  and  the  base  against  the  honorable  ® 
(Isa.  iii.  5).  Chaggigah ,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  have  related  that  there  was  once  a  family  in 
Jerusalem  the  members  of  wdiich  died  off  regulaily  at 
eighteen  years  of  age.  Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Zacchai 
shrewdly  guessed  that  they  were  descendants  of  Eli,  re¬ 
garding  whom  it  is  said  (1  Sam.  ii.  25),  <(  And  all  the  in¬ 
crease  of  thine  house  shall  die  in  the  flower  of  their  age ; >v 


THE  TALMUD 


141 

and  he  accordingly  advised  them  to  devote  themselves  to 
the  study  of  the  law,  as  the  certain  and  only  means  of 
neutralizing  the  curse.  They  acted  upon  the  advice  of  the 
Rabbi ;  their  lives  were  in  consequence  prolonged ;  and 
they  thenceforth  went  by  the  name  of  their  spiritual  father. 

Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

Eighteen  handbreadths  was  the  height  of  the  golden 
candlestick,  Menachoth ,  fol.  28,  col.  2. 

If  a  man  remain  unmarried  after  the  age  of  twenty,  his 
life  is  a  constant  transgression.  The  Holy  One  —  blessed 
be  He !  —  waits  until  that  period  to  see  if  one  enters  the 
matrimonial  state,  and  curses  his  bones  if  he  remain  single. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  29,  col.  2. 

A  woman  marrying  under  twenty  years  of  age  wall  bear 
till  she  is  sixty ;  if  she  marries  at  twenty  she  will  bear 
until  she  is  forty ;  if  she  marries  at  forty  she  will  not 
have  any  family.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  119,  col.  2. 

At  twenty  pursue  the  study  of  the  law. 

Avoth ,  chap.  5. 

Rabbi  Yehudah  says  the  early  Pietists  used  to  suffer 
some  twenty  days  before  death  from  diarrhoea,  the  effect  of 
which  was  to  purge  and  purify  them  for  the  world  to 
come;  for  it  is  said,  <(As  the  fining  pot  for  silver,  and  the 
furnace  for  gold,  so  is  a  man  to  his  praise  ®  (Prov.  xxvii. 
2 1 ) .  Semachoth,  chap.  3,  mish.  10. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  append  two  or  three  parallel  pas¬ 
sages  here  by  way  of  illustration  :  — <(  Bodily  suffering  purges  away 
sin®  ( Berachoth ,  fol.  5,  col.  1).  <(He  who  suffers  will  not  see  hell ® 
(Eiruvin,  fol.  41,  col.  2).  <(To  die  of  diarrhoea  is  an  augury  for 
good,  for  most  of  the  righteous  die  of  that  ailment®  ( Kethuboth ,  fol. 
103,  col.  2,  and  elsewhere). 

The  bathing  season  at  (the  hot  baths  of)  Dimsis  lasted 
twenty-one  days.  Shabbath ,  fol.  147,  col.  2. 

A  fowl  hatches  in  twenty-one  days,  and  the  almond  tree 
ripens  its  fruit  in  twenty-one  days. 

Bechoroth ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Levi  says  the  realization  of  a  good  dream  may  be 
hopefully  expected  for  twenty-two  years ;  for  it  is  written 
(Gen.  xxxvii.  2),  (<  These  are  the  generations  of  Jacob, 


142 


THE  TALMUD 


Joseph  being  seventeen  years  old  when  he  had  the  dreams. 
And  it  is  written  also  (Gen.  xli.  46),  (<  And  Joseph  was 
thirty  years  old  when  he  stood  before  Pharaoh, *  etc.  From 
seventeen  to  thirty  are  thirteen,  to  which  add  the  seven 
years  of  plenty  and  the  two  years  of  famine,  which  make 
the  sum  total  of  twenty- two.  Berachoth ,  fol.  55,  col.  2. 

In  the  pages  which  precede  and  follow  the  above  quotation  there  is 
much  that  is  interesting  on  the  subject  of  dreams  and  their  interpreta¬ 
tion,  and  one  is  strongly  tempted  to  append  selections,  but  we  refrain  in 
order  to  make  room  for  a  prayer  which  occurs  in  the  morning  service 
for  the  various  festivals,  and  is  given  in  the  preceding  context :  — 
<( Sovereign  of  the  Universe!  I  am  thine,  and  my  dreams  are  thine. 
I  have  dreamed  a  dream,  but  know  not  what  it  portendeth.  May  it 
be  acceptable  in  Thy  presence,  O  Lord  my  God,  and  the  God  of  my 
fathers,  that  all  my  dreams  concerning  myself  and  concerning  all 
Israel  may  be  for  my  good.  Whether  I  have  dreamt  concerning  my¬ 
self,  or  whether  I  have  dreamt  concerning  others,  or  whether  others 
have  dreamt  concerning  me,  if  they  be  good,  strengthen  and  fortify 
them,  that  they  may  be  accomplished  in  me,  as  were  the  dreams  of 
the  righteous  Joseph  ;  and  if  they  require  cure,  heal  them  as-  Thou 
didst  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah,  from  his  sickness  ;  as  Miriam  the  prophet¬ 
ess  from  her  leprosy,  and  Naaman  from  his  leprosy;  as  the  bitter  waters 
of  Marah  by  the  hands  of  our  legislator  Moses,  and  those  of  Jericho 
by  the  hands  of  Elisha.  And  as  Thou  wast  pleased  to  turn  the  curse 
of  Balaam,  the  son  of  Beor,  to  a  blessing,  be  pleased  to  convert  all 
my  dreams  concerning  me  and  all  Israel  to  a  good  end.  Oh,  guard 
me  ;  let  me  be  acceptable  to  Thee,  and  grant  me  life.  Amen.®* 

Rabbi  Levi  said,  <(  Come  and  see  how  unlike  the  charac¬ 
ter  of  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  is  to  that  of  those 
who  inherit  the  flesh  and  blood  of  humanity.  God  blessed 
Israel  with  twenty-two  benedictions  and  cursed  them  with 
eight  curses  (Lev.  xxvi.  3-13,  xv.  43).  But  Moses,  our 
Rabbi,  blessed  them  with  eight  benedictions  and  cursed 
them  with  twenty-two  imprecations  ®  (see  Deut.  xxviii. 
1-4,  xv.  68).  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  59,  col.  1. 

Once  as  they  were  journeying  to  Chesib  (in  Palestine), 
some  of  Rabbi  Akiva’s  disciples  were  overtaken  by  a  band 
of  robbers,  who  demanded  to  know  where  they  were  going 
to.  (( We  are  going  to  Acco,”  was  the  reply;  but  on 
arriving  at  Chesib,  they  went  no  farther.  The  robbers 

*The  translation  of  this  prayer  is  borrowed  from  the  Jewish 
liturgy. 


THE  TALMUD 


i43 


then  asked  them  who  they  were  ?  <(  Disciples  of  Rabbi 

Akiva,^  they  replied.  Upon  hearing  this  the  robbers  ex¬ 
claimed,  Blessed  surely  is  Rabbi  Akiva  and  his  disciples 
too,  for  no  man  can  ever  do  them  any  harm.**  Once  as 
Rabbi  Menasi  was  traveling  to  Thurtha  (in  Babylonia), 
some  thieves  surprised  him  on  the  road  and  asked  him 
where  he  was  bound  for.  (<  For  Pumbeditha,^  was  the 
reply  ;  but  upon  reaching  Thurtha,  he  stayed  and  went  no 
farther.  The  highwaymen,  thus  balked,  retorted,  <(Thou 
art  the  disciple  of  Yehuda  the  deceiver  !  <(  Oh,  you  know 

my  master,  do  you  ?  w  said  the  Rabbi.  <(  Then  in  the  name 
of  God  be  every  one  of  you  anathematized. >}  For  twenty- 
two  years  thereafter  the}'  carried  on  their  nefarious  trade,  but 
all  their  attempts  at  violence  ended  only  in  disappointment. 
Then  all  save  one  of  them  came  to  the  Rabbi  and  craved 
his  pardon,  which  was  immediately  granted.  The  one  who 
did  not  come  to  confess  his  guilt  and  obtain  absolution  was 
a  weaver,  and  he  was  eventually  devoured  by  a  lion. 
Hence  the  proverbs,  <(  If  a  weaver  does  not  humble  him¬ 
self,  he  shortens  his  life  ; and,  (<  Come  and  see  the  differ¬ 
ence  there  is  between  the  thieves  of  Babylon  and  the 
banditti  of  the  land  of  Israel.  ® 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  26,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Kliezer  ben  Hyrcanus  was  twenty- two  years  of 
age  when,  contrary  to  the  wishes  of  his  father,  he  went  to 
Rabbon  Yochanan  ben  Zaccai  purposing  to  devote  himself 
to  the  study  of  the  law.  By  the  time  he  arrived  at 
Rabbon  Yochanan’ s  he  had  been  without  food  four-and- 
twenty  hours,  and  yet,  though  repeatedly  asked  whether 
he  had  had  anything  to  eat,  refused  to  confess  he  was 
hungry.  His  father  having  come  to  know  where  he  was, 
went  one  day  to  the  place  on  purpose  to  disinherit  him  be¬ 
fore  the  assembled  Rabbis.  It  so  happened  that  Rabbon 
Yochanan  was  at  that  time  lecturing  before  some  of  the 
great  men  of  Jerusalem,  and  when  he  saw  the  father  enter, 
he  pressed  Rabbi  Kliezer  to  deliver  an  exposition.  So 
racy  and  cogent  were  his  observations  that  Rabbon  Yoch¬ 
anan  rose  and  styled  him  his  own  Rabbi,  and  thanked 
him  in  the  name  of  the  rest  for  the  instruction  he  had 
afforded  them.  Then  the  father  of  Rabbi  Eliezer  said, 


144 


THE  TALMUD 


(<  Rabbis,  I  came  here  for  the  purpose  of  disinheriting  my 
son,  but  now  I  declare  him  sole  heir  of  all  I  have,  to  the 
exclusion  of  his  brothers. ®  Avoth  d' Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  6. 

The  father  of  Eliezer  acts  more  magnanimously  by  his  son  than 
does  the  father  of  St.  Francis.  Like  the  Rabbi,  as  Mr.  Ruskin 
relates  in  his  (<  Mornings  in  Florence, })  St.  Francis,  one  of  whose  three 
great  virtues  was  obedience,  <(  begins  his  spiritual  life  by  quarreling 
with  his  father.  He  (  commercially  invests  >  some  of  his  father’s  goods 
in  charity.  His  father  objects  to  that  investment,  on  which  St.  Francis 
runs  away,  taking  what  he  can  find  about  the  house  along  with  him. 
His  father  follows  to  claim  his  property,  but  finds  it  is  all  gone 
already,  and  that  St.  Francis  has  made  friends  with  the  Bishop 
of  Assisi.  His  father  flies  into  an  indecent  passion,  and  declares  he 
will  disinherit  him  ;  on  which  St.  Francis,  then  and  there,  takes  all 
his  clothes  off,  throws  them  frantically  in  his  father’s  face,  and  says 
he  has  nothing  more  to  do  with  clothes  or  father. w 

Not  the  same  strict  scrutiny  is  required  in  money  matters 
as  in  cases  of  capital  punishment  ;  for  it  is  said  (Lev.  xxiv. 
23),  <(  Ye  shall  have  one  manner  of  law. w  What  distinction 
is  there  made  between  them  ?  With  regard  to  money  mat¬ 
ters  three  judges  are  deemed  sufficient,  while  in  cases  of 
capital  offense  twenty-three  are  required,  etc. 

Sanhedrin,  fol.  32,  col.  1. 

Rabbi,  Yehoshua  ben  Levi  said,  (( In  twenty- four  cases 
doth  the  tribunal  excommunicate  for  the  honor  of  a  Rabbi, 
and  all  are  explained  in  our  Mishna. Rabbi  Blazer  inter¬ 
posed  and  asked,  <(  Where  are  they  ?  w  The  reply  was,  <(  Go 
and  seek,  and  thou  shalt  find.J>  He  went  accordingly  and 
sought,  but  found  only  three — the  case  of  the  man  who 
lightly  esteems  the  washing  of  hands  ;  of  him  who  whis¬ 
pers  evil  behind  the  bier  of  a  disciple  of  the  wise  ;  and  of 
him  who  behaves  haughtily  toward  the  Most  High. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  19,  col.  1. 

There  are  three  degrees  of  excommunication,  i.  e.,  separation,  exclu¬ 
sion,  and  execration.  That  mentioned  in  the  above  extract  is  of  the 
lowest  degree,  and  lasts  never  less  than  thirty  days.  The  second  de¬ 
gree  of  excommunication  is  a  prolongation  of  the  first  by  thirty  days 
more.  The  third  or  highest  degree  lasts  for  an  indefinite  time.  See 
Moed  Katon,  fol.  17,  col.  1  ;  Shevuoth,  fol.  36,  col.  1  ;  and  consult 
Index  II.  appended. 

A  certain  matron  once  said  to  Rabbi  Yehuda  ben  Klaei, 
<(  Th}^  face  is  like  that  of  one  who  breeds  pigs  and  lends 


THE  TALMUD 


HS 


money  on  usury. ®  He  replied,  <(  These  offices  are  forbidden 
me  by  the  rules  of  my  religion,  but  between  my  residence 
and  the  academy  there  are  twenty-four  latrinae  ;  these  I 
regularly  visit  as  I  need.®  Berachoth ,  fol.  55,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbi  meant  to  say  that  paying  attention  to  the  regular  action 
of  his  excretory  organs  was  the  secret  of  his  healthy  looks,  and  to 
imply  that  a  disordered  stomach  is  the  root  of  most  diseases, —  a  physio¬ 
logical  opinion  well  worthy  of  regard  by  us  moderns. 

Rav  Birim  says  that  the  venerable  Rav  Benaah  once  went 
to  all  the  interpreters  of  dreams  in  Jerusalem,  twenty-four 
in  number.  Every  one  of  them  gave  a  different  interpreta¬ 
tion,  and  each  was  fulfilled ;  which  substantiates  the  saying 
that  it  is  the  interpretation  and  not  the  dream  that  comes 
true.  Ibid.,  fol.  55,  col.  2. 

Twenty-four  fasts  were  observed  by  the  men  of  the  Great 
Synagogue,  in  order  that  the  writers  of  the  books,  phylac¬ 
teries,  and  Mezuzahs  might  not  grow  rich,  lest  in  becoming 
rich  they  might  be  tempted  not  to  write  any  more. 

P> sachim,  fol.  50,  col.  2. 

When  Solomon  was  desirous  of  conveying  the  Ark  into 
the  Temple,  the  doors  shut  themselves  of  their  own  accord 
against  him.  Here  cited  twenty-four  psalms,  yet  they  opened 
not.  In  vain  he  cried,  <(  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates  ® 
(Ps.  xxiv.  9).  But  when  he  prayed,  <(  O  Lord  God,  turn 
not  Thy  face  away  from  Thine  anointed ;  remember  the 
mercies  of  David,  Thy  servant  ®  (2  Chron.  vi.  42),  then 
the  gates  flew  open  at  once.  Then  the  enemies  of  David 
turned  black  in  the  face,  for  all  knew  by  this  that  God 
had  pardoned  David’s  transgression  with  Bathseheba. 

Moed  Katoii ,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

In  the  Midrash  Rabbah  (Devarim,  chap.  15)  the  same  story  is 
told,  with  this  additional  circumstance  among  others,  that  a  sacred 
respect  was  paid  to  the  gates  when  the  Temple  was  sacked  at  the 
time  of  the  Captivity.  When  the  glorious  vessels  and  furniture  of 
the  Temple  were  being  carried  away  into  Babylon,  the  gates,  which 
were  so  zealous  for  the  glory  of  God,  were  buried  on  the  spot  (see  Lam. 
ii.  9),  there  to  await  the  restoration  of  Israel.  This  romantic  episode 
is  alluded  to  in  the  closing  service  for  the  Day  of  Atonement. 

There  are  twenty-four  species  of  unclean  birds,  but  the 
clean  birds  are  innumerable.  Chullin ,  fol.  63,  col.  2. 

10 


146 


THE  TALMUD 


In  twenty-four  places  priests  are  called  Eevites,  and  this 
is  one  of  them  (Ezek.  xliv.  15),  <(  But  the  priests,  the 
Levites,  the  sons  of  Zadok.®  Tamid ,  fol.  27,  col.  1. 

There  are  twenty-four  extremities  of  members  in  the  hu¬ 
man  body  which  do  not  suffer  defilement  in  the  case  of 
diseased  flesh  (see  Eev.  xiii.  10,  24).  The  tip-ends  of  the 
fingers  and  toes,  the  edges  of  the  ears,  the  tip  of  the  nose, 
etc.  Negaim ,  chap.  6,  mish.  7. 

Twenty-five  children  is  the  highest  number  there  should  be 
in  a  class  for  elementary  instruction.  There  should  be  an  as¬ 
sistant  appointed,  if  there  be  forty  in  number  ;  and  if  fifty, 
there  should  be  two  competent  teachers.  Rava  says,  (<  If 
there  be  two  teachers  in  a  place,  one  teaching  the  children 
more  than  the  other,  the  one  that  teaches  less  is  not  to  be 
dismissed,  because  if  so,  the  other  is  liable  to  lapse  into 
negligence  also.  ®  Rav  Deimi  of  Nehardaa,  on  the  other 
hand,  thinks  the  dismissal  of  the  former  will  make  the 
latter  all  the  more  eager  to  teach  more,  both  out  of  fear 
lest  he  also  be  dismissed,  and  out  of  gratitude  that  he  has 
been  preferred  to  the  other.  Mar  says,  <(  The  emulation  of 
the  scribes  (or  teachers)  increaseth  wisdom. ®  Rava  also 
says,  (<  When  there  are  two  teachers,  one  teaching  much  but 
superficially,  and  one  teaching  thoroughly  but  not  so  much, 
the  former  is  to  be  preferred,  for  the  children  will,  in  the 
long  run,  improve  most  by  learning  much.®  Rav  Deimi  of 
Nehardaa,  however,  thinks  the  latter  is  to  be  preferred,  for 
a  mistake  or  an  error  once  learned  is  difficult  to  unlearn  ; 
as  it  is  written  in  1  Kings  xi.  16,  <(  For  six  months  did 
Joab  remain  there  with  all  Israel,  until  he  cut  off  every 
male  in  Edom.®  When  David  asked  Joab  why  he  killed 
only  the  males  and  not  the  females,  he  replied,  ((  Because  it 
is  written  in  Deut.  xxv.  19,  (  Thou  shalt  blot  out  the  male 
portion  of  Amalek. >  ®  <(  But, ®  said  David,  (<we  read  (the 

remembrance  of  Amalek. ^  To  this  Joab  replied,  <(  My 
teacher  taught  me  to  read  zachar  and  not  zeichar,  ® 
i.  e.,  male,  and  not  remembrance.  The  teacher  of  Joab 
was  sent  for ;  and  being  found  guilty  of  having  taught  his 
pupil  in  a  superficial  manner,  he  was  condemned  to  be 
beheaded.  The  poor  teacher  pleaded  in  vain  for  his  life, 


THE  TALMUD 


147 


for  the  king’s  judgment  was  based  on  Scripture  (Jer.  xlviii. 
10),  <(  Cursed  be  he  that  doeth  the  work  of  the  Lord  de¬ 
ceitfully,  and  cursed  be  he  that  keepeth  back  his  sword 
from  blood. Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  21,  col.  1. 

The  Romans  faithfully  observed  their  compact  with  Israel 
for  twenty-six  years.  After  that  time  they  began  to  oppress 
them.  Avoda  Zarah ,  fol.  8,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  a  small  salt  fish  will  cause 
death  if  partaken  of  after  seven,  seventeen,  or  twenty-seven 
days ;  some  say  after  twenty-three  days.  This  is  said  with 
reference  to  half-cooked  fish,  but  wThen  properly  cooked 
there  is  no  harm  in  it.  Neither  does  any  harm  result  from 
eating  half-cooked  fish,  if  strong  drink  be  taken  after  it. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  44,  col.  2. 

On  the  twenty-eigth  day  of  Adar  there  came  good  news  to  the 
Jews.  The  Roman  Government  had  passed  a  decree  ordain¬ 
ing  that  they  should  neither  study  the  law,  nor  circumcise 
their  children,  nor  observe  the  Sabbath-days.  Yehudah  ben 
Shamua  and  his  associates  went  to  consult  a  certain  matron, 
whom  all  the  magnates  of  Rome  were  in  the  habit  of  visit¬ 
ing.  She  advised  them  to  come  at  night  and  raise  a  loud 
outcry  against  the  decree  they  complained  of.  They  did  so, 
and  cried,  <(  O  heavens!  are  we  not  your  brethren?  are  we 
not  the  children  of  one  mother  ?  w  (Alluding  to  Rebekah, 
the  mother  of  Jacob  and  Esau.)  (<  Wherein  are  we  worse 
than  all  other  nations  and  tongues,  that  you  should  op¬ 
press  us  with  such  harsh  decrees  ?  }>  Thereupon  the  decrees 
were  revoked  ;  to  commemorate  which  the  Jews  established 
a  festival.  Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  19,  col.  1. 

The  renewal  of  the  moon  comes  round  in  not  less  than 
twenty-nine  days  and  a  half  and  forty  minutes. 

Ibid.,  fol.  25,  col.  1. 

Rav  Mari  reports  that  Rabbi  Yochanan  had  said,  (<  He  who 
indulges  in  the  practice  of  eating  lentils  once  in  thirty  days 
keeps  away  quinsy,  but  they  are  not  good  to  be  eaten  reg¬ 
ularly  because  by  them  the  breath  is  corrupted.  ®  He  used 
also  to  say  that  mustard  eaten  once  in  thirty  days  drives 
awray  sickness,  but  if  taken  every  day  the  action  of  the 
heart  is  apt  to  be  affected.  Berachoth ,  fol.  40,  col.  1. 


14B 


THE  TALMUD 


He  who  eates  unripe  dates  and  does  not  wash  his  hands 
will  for  thirty  day  be  in  constant  fear,  without  knowing 
why,  of  something  untoward  happening. 

P sachim ,  fol.  hi,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  the  lighter  kind  of  excom¬ 
munication  is  not  to  last  less  than  thirty  days,  and  censure 
not  less  than  seven.  The  latter  is  inferred  from  what  is 
said  in  Num.  xii.  14,  <(  If  her  father  had  but  spit  in  her 
face,  should  she  not  be  ashamed  seven  days?  }> 

Moed  Katon ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

If  we  meet  a  friend  during  any  of  the  thirty  days  of  his 
mourning  for  a  deceased  relative,  we  must  condole  with  him 
but  not  salute  him  ;  but  after  that  time  he  may  be  saluted 
but  not  condoled  with.  If  a  man  (because  he  has  no  fam¬ 
ily)  re-marries  within  thirty  days  of  the  death  of  his  wife, 
he  should  not  be  condoled  with  at  home  (lest  it  might  hurt 
the  feelings  of  his  new  partner)  ;  but  if  met  with  out  of 
doors,  he  should  be  addressed  in  an  undertone  of  voice,  ac¬ 
companied  with  a  slight  inclination  of  the  head. 

Ibid.,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

During  the  thirty  days  of  mourning  for  deceased  friends 
or  relatives,  the  bereaved  should  not  trim  their  hair ;  but  if  they 
have  lost  their  parents,  they  are  not  to  attend  to  such  mat¬ 
ters  until  their  friends  force  tham  to  do  so. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  22,  col.  2. 

<(  And  Haman  told  them  of  the  glory  of  his  riches  and 
the  multitude  of  his  children w  (Esth.  v.  n).  And  how 
many  children  were  there  ?  Rav  said  thirty  ;  ten  had  died, 
ten  were  hanged,  and  ten  went  about  begging  from  door  to 
door.  The  Rabbis  say,  <(  Those  that  went  about  begging 
from  door  to  door  were  seventy  ;  for  it  is  written  ( 1  Sam.  ii.  5) , 

<  They  that  were  full  have  hired  themselves  for  bread. >  ® 

Meggillah ,  fol.  15,  col.  2. 

When  Rabbi  Chanena  bar  Pappa  was  about  to  die,  the 
Angel  of  Death  was  told  to  go  and  render  him  some  friendly 
service.  He  accordingly  went  and  made  himself  known  to 
him.  The  Rabbi  requested  him  to  leave  him  for  thirty 
days,  until  he  had  repeated  what  he  had  been  learning  ; 
for  it  is  said,  <(  Blessed  is  he  who  comes  here  with  his  studies 


THE  TALMUD 


149 


in  his  hand.”  He  accordingly  left,  and  at  the  expiration 
of  thirty  days  returned  to  him.  The  Rabbi  then  asked  to 
be  shown  his  place  in  Paradise,  and  the  Angel  of  Death 
consented  to  show  him  while  life  was  still  in  him.  Then 

said  the  Rabbi,  <(  Tend  me  thy  sword,  lest  thou  surprise 
me  on  the  road  and  cheat  me  of  my  expectation.”  To 
this  the  Angel  of  Death  said,  (<  Dost  thou  mean  to  serve 
me  as  thy  friend  Rabbi  Yoshua  did?”  and  he  declined  to 
intrust  the  sword  to  the  Rabbi.  Kethuboth ,  fol.  77,  col.  2. 

If  a  man  says  to  a  woman,  (<  Thou  art  betrothed  to  me 
after  thirty  days,”  and  in  the  interim  another  comes  and 
betroths  her,  she  is  the  second  suitor’s. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  58,  col.  2.. 

If  one  finds  a  scroll,  he  may  peruse  it  once  in  thirty 
days,  but  he  must  not  teach  out  of  it,  nor  may  another 

join  him  in  reading  it ;  if  he  does  not  know  how  to  read, 

he  must  unroll  it.  If  a  garment  be  found,  it  should  be 

shaken  and  spread  out  once  in  thirty  days,  for  its  own 
sake  (to  preserve  it),  but  not  for  display.  Silver  and  cop¬ 
per  articles  should  be  used  to  take  care  of  them,  but  not 
for  the  sake  of  ornament.  Gold  and  glass  vessels  he  should 
not  meddle  with  —  till  the  coming  of  Elijah. 

Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  29,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Zira  so  inured  his  body  (to  endurance)  that  the 
fire  of  Gehenna  had  no  power  over  it.  Every  thirty  days 
he  experimented  on  himself,  ascending  a  fiery  furnace,  and 
finally  sitting  down  in  the  midst  of  it  without  being  af¬ 
fected  by  the  fire.  One  day,  however,  as  the  Rabbis  fixed 
their  eyes  upon  him,  his  hips  became  singed,  and  from  that 
day  onward  he  was  noted  in  Jewry  as  the  little  man  with 
the  singed  hips.  Ibid.,  fol.  85,  col.  1. 

An  Arab  once  said  to  Rabbah  bar  bar  Channah,  <(  Come 
and  I  will  show  thee  the  place  where  Korah  and  his  ac¬ 
complices  were  swallowed  up.”  (<  There,”  says  the  Rabbi, 
(<  I  observed  smoke  coming  out  from  two  cracks  in  the 
ground.  Into  one  of  these  he  inserted  some  wool  tied  on 
to  the  end  of  his  spear,  and  when  he  drew  it  out  again  it 
was  scorched.  Then  he  bade  me  listen.  I  did  so,  and  as 
I  listened  heard  them  groan  out,  (  Moses  and  his  law  are 


THE  TALMUD 


150 

true,  but  we  are  liars. y  The  Arab  then  told  me  that  they 
come  round  to  this  place  once  in  every  thirty  days,  being 
stirred  about  in  the  hell-surge  like  meat  in  the  boiling 
caldron. )y  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  74,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Yochanan,  in  expounding  Isa.  liv.  12,  said,  <(The 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  wTill  bring  precious  stones 
and  pearls,  each  measuring  thirty  cubits  by  thirty,  and 
polishing  them  down  to  twenty  cubits  by  ten,  will  place 
them  in  the  gates  of  Jerusalem. w  A  certain  disciple  con¬ 
temptuously  observed,  ((  No  one  has  ever  yet  seen  a  precious 
stone  as  large  as  a  small  bird’s  egg,  and  is  it  likely  that 
such  immense  ones  as  these  have  any  existence  ?  ®  He 
happened  one  day  after  this  to  go  forth  on  a  voyage,  and 
there  in  the  sea  he  saw  the  angels  quarrying  precious 
stones  and  pearls  like  those  his  Rabbi  had  told  him  of, 
and  upon  inquiry  he  learned  that  they  were  intended  for 
the  gates  of  Jerusalem.  On  his  return  he  went  straight  to 
Rabbi  Yochanan  and  told  him  what  he  had  seen  and  heard. 

<(  Raca  !  ®  said  the  latter,  (<  hadst  thou  not  seen  them  thou 
wouldst  have  kept  on  deriding  the  words  of  the  wise ! w 
Then  fixing  his  gaze  intently  upon  him,  he  with  the  glance 
of  his  eye  reduced  to  a  heap  of  bones  the  carcass  of  his 
body.  Ibid.,  fol.  75,  col.  1. 

He  who  lends  unconditionally  a  sum  of  money  to  his 
neighbor  is  not  entitled  to  demand  it  back  within  thirty 
days  thereafter.  Maccoth ,  fol.  3,  col.  2. 

If  a  man  has  lost  a  relative,  he  is  forbidden  to  engage 
in  business  until  thirty  days  after  the  death.  In  the  case 
of  the  decease  of  a  father  or  a  mother,  he  is  not  to  resume 
work  until  his  friends  rebuke  him  and  urge  him  to  return. 

Semachoth,  chap.  9. 

It  is  unlawful  for  one  to  enter  a  banqueting-house  for 
thirty  days  after  the  death  of  a  relative  ;  but  he  must  re¬ 
frain  from  so  doing  for  twelve  months  after  the  demise  of 
either  father  or  mother,  unless  on  the  behest  of  some 
higher  requirement  of  piety.  Ibid. 

But  I  know  not  whether  there  are  thirty  righteous  men 
here  and  fifteen  in  the  land  of  Israel,  or  vice  versd. 

Chullin ,  fol.  92,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


151 


Thirty  days  in  a  year  are  equivalent  to  a  whole  year. 

Niddah)  fol.  44,  col.  2. 

“  Moses,  thou  didst  say  unto  me,  (  What  is  Thy  name  ?  > 
And  now  thou  dost  say,  (  Neither  hast  Thou  delivered  Thy 
people  at  allP  Now  shalt  thou  see  what  I  will  do  to  Pha¬ 
raoh  (Exod.  v.  23,  vi.  1),  but  not  what  I  am  about  to  do 
to  the  thirty-one  kings. ”  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  hi,  col.  1. 

When  Rav  Deimi  arrived  at  Babylon,  he  reported  that 
the  Romans  had  fought  thirty-two  battles  with  the  Greeks 
without  once  conquering  them,  until  they  allied  themselves 
with  Israel,  on  the  stipulation  that  where  Rome  appointed 
the  commanding  officers  the  Jews  should  appoint  the  gov¬ 
ernors,  and  vice  versd.  Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  8,  col.  2. 

Manasseh  did  penance  thirty-three  years. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  103,  col.  1. 

Balaam  was  thirty-three  years  of  age  when  Phineas,  the 
robber,  slew  him.  Ibid .,  fol.  106,  col.  2. 

For  thirty-four  years  the  kingdom  of  Persia  lasted  con¬ 
temporaneously  with  the  Temple. 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

Abaii  has  said,  <(  There  are  never  fewer  than  thirty-six 
righteous  men  in  every  generation  who  receive  the  presence 
of  the  Shechinah  ;  for  it  is  said  (Isa.  xxx.  18),  (  Blessed 
are  all  those  who  wait  upon  Him. >  ”  The  numerical  value 
(by  Gematria)  of  Him,  is  thirty-six. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  97,  col.  2. 

The  sons  of  Esau,  of  Ishmael,  and  of  Keturah  went  on 
purpose  to  dispute  the  burial  (of  Jacob)  ;  but  when  they 
saw  that  Joseph  had  placed  his  crown  upon  the  coffin,  they 
did  the  same  with  theirs.  There  were  thirty-six  crowns  in 
all,  tradition  says.  <(  And  they  mourned  with  a  great  and 
very  sore  lamentation.”  Even  the  very  horses  and  asses 
joined  in  it,  we  are  told.  On  arriving  at  the  Cave  of 
Machpelah,  Esau  once  more  protested,  and  said,  “Adam  and 
Eve,  Abraham  and  Sarah,  Isaac  and  Rebekah,  are  all  buried 
here.  Jacob  disposed  of  his  share  when  he  buried  Leah  in 
it,  and  the  remaining  one  belongs  to  me.”  <(  But  thou  didst 
sell  thy  share  with  thy  birthright,  ”  remonstrated  the  sons 
of  Jacob.  “Nay,”  rejoined  Esau,  “that  did  not  include  my 


152 


THE  TALMUD 


share  in  the  burial-place.”  ^Indeed  it  did,”  they  argued, 
<(  for  our  father,  just  before  he  died,  said  (Gen.  1.  5),  ( In 
my  grave  which  I  have  bought  for  myself.  >  ”  “Where  are 
the  title-deeds?”  demanded  Esau.  <(  In  Egypt,”  was  the 
answer.  And  immediately  the  swift-footed  Naphthali 
started  for  the  records.  (“So  light  of  foot  was  he,”  says 
the  Book  of  Jasher,  “  that  he  could  go  upon  the  ears  of 
corn  without  crushing  them.”)  Hushim,  the  son  of  Dan, 
being  deaf,  asked  what  was  the  cause  of  the  commotion. 
On  being  told  what  it  was,  he  snatched  up  a  club  and 
smote  Esau  so  hard  that  his  eyes  dropped  out  and  fell 
upon  the  feet  of  Jacob ;  at  which  Jacob  opened  his  eyes 
and  grimly  smiled.  This  is  that  which  is  written  (Ps. 
lviii.  10),  <(  The  righteous  shall  rejoice  when  he  sees  ven¬ 
geance  ;  he  shall  wash  his  feet  in  the  blood  of  the  wicked.” 
Then  Rebekah’s  prophecy  came  to  pass  (Gen.  xxvii.  45), 
“  Why  shall  I  be  deprived  also  of  you  both  in  one  day  ?  ” 
For  although  they  did  not  both  die  on  the  same  day,  they 
were  both  buried  on  the  same  day.  Soteh ,  fol.  13,  col.  1. 

This  story  slightly  varied,  is  repeated  in  the  Book  of  Jasher  and 
in  the  Targum  of  Ben  Uzziel. 

The  principal  works  of  the  hand  are  forty  save  one  :  — * 
To  sow,  to  plow,  to  reap,  to  bind  in  sheaves,  to  thrash, 
to  winnow,  to  sift  corn,  to  grind,  to  bolt  meal,  to  knead, 
to  bake,  to  shear,  to  wash  wool,  to  comb  wool,  to  dye  it, 
to  spin,  to  warp,  to  shoot  two  threads,  to  weave  two 
threads,  to  cut  and  tie  two  threads,  to  tie,  to  untie,  to 
sew  two  stitches,  to  tear  two  threads  with  intent  to  sew, 
to  hunt  game,  to  slay,  to  skin,  to  salt  a  hide,  to  singe,  to 

tan,  to  cut  up  a  skin,  to  write  two  letters,  to  scratch  out 

two  letters  with  intent  to  write,  to  build,  to  pull  down,  to 

put  out  a  fire,  to  light  a  fire,  to  smite  with  a  hammer,  to 

convey  from  one  Reshutli*  to  another. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  73,  col.  1. 

King  Yanai  had  a  single  tree  on  the  royal  mound,  whence 
once  a  month  they  collected  forty  seahs  (about  fifteen 
bushels)  of  young  pigeons  of  three  different  breeds. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  44,  col.  1. 

*A  private  property  in  opposition  to  a  public. 


THE  TALMUD 


153 


Forty  years  before  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  the 
Sanhedrin  were  exiled,  and  they  sat  in  the  Halls  of  Com¬ 
merce.  Shabbath ,  fol.  15,  col.  1. 

Until  one  is  forty  eating  is  more  advantageous  than 
drinking.  After  that  age  the  rule  is  reversed. 

Ibid.,  fol.  152,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  during  the  forty  j^ears  in 
which  Simeon  the  Just  officiated  in  the  Temple  the  lot 
always  fell  on  the  right  (see  Lev.  xvi.  8-10).  After  that 
time  it  sometimes  fell  on  the  right  and  sometimes  on  the 
left.  The  crimson  band  also,  which  in  his  time  had  always 
turned  white,  after  that  period  sometimes  turned  white, 
and  at  others  it  did  not  change  color  at  all. 

Yoma ,  fol.  39,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught :  —  Forty  years  before  the 
destruction  of  the  Temple  the  lot  did  not  fall  on  the  right, 
and  the  crimson  band  did  not  turn  white  ;  the  light  in  the 
west  did  not  burn,  and  the  gates  of  the  Temple  opened  of 
themselves,  so  that  Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Zacchai  rebuked 
them,  and  said,  <(  O  Temple!  Temple!  why  art  thou  dis¬ 
mayed?  I  know  thy  end  will  be  that  thou  shalt  be  de¬ 
stroyed,  for  Zachariah  the  son  of  Iddo  has  already  pre¬ 
dicted  respecting  thee  (Zech.  xi.  1),  ( Open  thy  doors,  O 
Lebanon,  that  the  fire  may  devour  thy  cedars. 

Ibid.,  fol.  39,  col.  2. 

During  the  forty  years  that  Israel  were  in  the  wilderness 
there  was  not  a  midnight  in  which  the  north  wind  did  not 
blow.  \evamoth ,  fol.  71,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Zadok  fasted  forty  years  that  Jerusalem  might 
not  be  destroyed,  and  so  emaciated  was  he,  that  when  he 
ate  anything  it  might  be  seen  going  down  his  throat. 

Gittin ,  fol.  56,  col,  1. 

Forty  days  before  the  formation  of  a  child  a  Bath  Kol 
proclaims,  (<  The  daughter  of  so-and-so  shall  marry  the  son 
of  so-and-so  ;  the  premises  of  so-and-so  shall  be  the  prop- 
erty  of  so-and-so. "  Soteh ,  fol.  2,  col.  1. 

Rav  Hunna  and  Rav  Chasda  were  so  angry  with  one 
another  that  they  did  not  meet  for  forty  years.  After  that 


*54 


THE  TALMUD 


Rav  Chasda  fasted  forty  days  for  having  annoyed  Rav 
Hunna,  and  Rav  Hunna  forty  days  for  having  suspected 
Rav  Chasda.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  33,  col.  1. 

A  female  who  marries  at  forty  will  never  have  any  chil¬ 
dren. 

He  who  eats  black  cummin  the  weight  of  a  denarius 
will  have  his  heart  torn  out ;  so  also  will  he  who  eats 
forty  eggs  or  forty  nuts,  or  a  quarter  of  honey. 

Tract  Calah. 

He  that  cooks  in  milk  the  nerve  Nashe  on  a  yearly  fes¬ 
tival,  and  then  eats  it,  receives  five  times  forty  stripes 
save  one,  etc.  Baitza ,  fol.  12,  col.  1. 

He  who  passes  forty  consecutive  days  without  suffering 
some  affliction  has  received  his  good  reward  in  his  lifetime 
(cf.  Luke  xvi.  25).  Erachin ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

If  a  bath  contain  forty  measures  of  water  and  some 
mud,  people  may,  according  to  Rabbi  Elazar,  immerse 
themselves  in  the  water  of  it,  but  not  in  the  mud  ;  while 
Rabbi  Yehoshua  says  they  may  do  so  in  both. 

Mikvaoth ,  chap.  ii.  10. 

Rav  Yehudah  said  in  the  name  of  Rav: — The  Divine 
name,  which  consists  of  forty-two  letters,  is  revealed  only 
to  him  who  is  prudent  and  meek,  who  has  reached  the 
meridian  of  life,  is  not  prone  to  wrath,  not  given  to  drink, 
and  not  revengeful.  He  that  knows  that  name,  and  acts 
circumspectly  in  regard  to  it,  and  retains  it  sacredly,  is 
beloved  in  heaven  and  esteemed  on  earth ;  He  inspires 
men  with  reverence,  and  is  heir  both  to  the  world  that 
now  is  and  that  which  is  to  come. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  71,  col.  1. 

A  man  should  always  devote  himself  to  the  study  of  the 
law  and  to  the  practice  of  good  deeds,  even  if  he  does  not 
do  so  for  their  own  sake,  as  self-satisfied  performance  may 
follow  in  due  course.  Thus,  in  recompense  for  the  forty- 
two  sacrifices  he  offered,  Balak  was  accounted  worthy  to 
become  the  ancestor  of  Ruth.  Rav  Yossi  bar  Hunna  has 
said,  Ruth  was  the  daughter  of  Eglon,  the  grandson  of 
Balak,  king  of  Moab.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  105,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


155 


These  are  the  forty-five  righteous  men  for  whose  sake 
the  world  is  preserved.  Chullin ,  fol.  92,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Meir  had  a  disciple  named  Sumchus,  who  in  every 
case  assigned  forty-eight  reasons  why  one  thing  should  be 
called  clean  and  why  another  should  be  called  unclean, 
though  Scripture  declared  the  contrary.  (A  striking  illus¬ 
tration  of  Rabbinical  ingenuity  !  ) 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

Forty-eight  prophets  and  seven  prophetesses  prophesied 
unto  Israel,  and  they  have  neither  diminished  nor  added  to 
that  which  is  written  in  the  law,  except  the  reading  of  the 
Book  of  Esther.  Megillah ,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  teach  that  in  future  (in  the  days  of  the  Messiah)  all 
Scripture  will  be  abolished  except  the  Book  of  Esther,  also  all  fes¬ 
tivals  except  the  feast  of  Purim.  (See  Menorath  Hamaor,  fol.  135, 
col.  1.) 

By  forty-eight  things  the  law  is  acquired.  These  are 
study,  attention,  careful  conversation,  mental  discernment, 
solicitude,  reverential  fear,  meekness,  geniality  of  soul,  purity, 
attention  to  the  wise,  mutual  discussion,  debating,  sedateness, 
learning  in  the  Scripture  and  the  Mishna,  not  dabbling  in 
commerce,  self-denial,  moderation  in  sleep,  aversion  to 
gossip,  etc.,  etc.  Avoth ,  chap.  6. 

When  God  gave  the  law  to  Moses,  He  assigned  forty-nine 
reasons  in  every  case  for  pronouncing  one  thing  unclean 
and  as  many  for  pronouncing  other  things  clean. 

Sophrhn ,  chap.  16,  mish.  6. 

He  that  has  fifty  zouzim,  and  trades  therewith,  may  not 
glean  what  is  left  in  the  corner  of  the  field  (Lev.  xix.  9). 
He  that  takes  it,  and  has  no  right  to  it,  will  come  to  want 
before  the  day  of  his  departure.  And  if  one  who  is  enti¬ 
tled  to  it  leaves  it  to  others  more  needy,  before  he  dies  he 
will  not  only  be  able  to  support  himself,  but  be  a  stay  to 
others.  Peak ,  chap.  8,  mish.  9. 

Fifty  measures  of  understanding  were  created  in  the 
world,  and  all  except  one  were  given  to  Moses ;  as  it  is 
said  (Ps.  viii.  5),  <(Thou  hast  made  him  a  little  lower  than 
the  angels. J)  Rosh  Hashanah,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 


156 


THE  TALMUD 


Poverty  in  a  house  is  harder  to  bear  than  fifty  plagues. 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol  116,  col.  1. 

The  above  saying  is  based  on  Job  xix.  21,  compared  with  Exod. 
viii.  19. 

For  fifty-two  years  no  man  traveled  through  the  land  of 
Judea.  Yoma.  fol.  54,  col.  1. 

Black  cummin  is  one  of  the  sixty  deadly  drugs. 

Berachoth,  fol.  40,  col.  1. 

Ulla  and  Rav  Chasda  were  once  traveling  together,  when 
they  came  up  to  the  gate  of  the  house  of  Rav  Chena  bar 
Chenelai.  At  sight  of  it  Rav  Chasda  stooped  and  sighed. 
<(  Why  sighest  thou  ?  ”  asked  Ulla,  (<  seeing,  as  Rav  says, 
sighing  breaks  the  body  in  halves  ;  for  it  is  said  (Ezek.  xxi. 
6),  (sigh,  therefore,  O  son  of  man,  with  the  breaking  of 
thy  loins ; >  and  Rabbi  Yochanau  says  a  sigh  breaks  up  the 
whole  constitution;  for  it  is  said  (Ezek.  xxi.  7),  ‘And  it 
shall  be  when  they  say  unto  thee,  Wherefore  sighest  thou? 
that  thou  shalt  answer,  For  the  tidings  because  it  cometh, 
and  the  whole  heart  shall  melt,>)>  etc.  To  this  Rav  Chasda 
replied,  <(  How  can  I  help  sighing  over  this  house,  where 
sixty  bakers  used  to  be  employed  during  the  day,'  and  sixty 
during  the  night,  to  make  bread  for  the  poor  and  needy ; 
and  Rav  Chena  had  his  hand  always  at  his  purse,  for  he 
thought  the  slightest  hesitation  might  cause  a  poor  but  re¬ 
spectable  man  to  blush ;  and  besides  he  kept  four  doors 
open,  one  to  each  quarter  of  the  heavens,  so  that  all  might 
enter  and  be  satisfied  ?  Over  and  above  this,  in  time  of 
famine  he  scattered  wheat  and  barley  abroad,  so  that  they 
who  were  ashamed  to  gather  by  day  might  do  so  by  night ; 
but  now  this  house  has  fallen  into  ruin,  and  ought  I  not 
to  sigh?”  Ibid. ,  fol.  58,  col.  2. 

Egypt  is  a  sixtieth  of  Ethiopia,  Ethiopia  a  sixtieth 
of  the  world,  the  world  is  a  sixtieth  part  of  the  gar¬ 
den  of  Eden,  the  garden  itself  is  but  a  sixtieth  of 
Eden,  and  Eden  a  sixtieth  of  Gehenna.  Hence  the  world 
in  proportion  to  Gehenna  is  but  as  the  lid  to  a  caldron. 

P}  sachim,  fol.  94,  col.  1. 

They  led  forth  Metatron  and  struck  him  sixty  bastinadoes 
with  a  cudgel  of  fire.  .  Chaggigah ,  fol.  15,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


157 


In  tlie  context  of  the  foregoing  quotation  occurs  an  anecdote  of 
Rabbi  Elisha  ben  Abuyah  which  is  too  racy  to  let  pass,  and  too  char¬ 
acteristic  to  need  note  or  comment.  One  day  Elisha  ben  Abuyah  was 
privileged  to  pry  into  Paradise,  where  he  saw  the  recording  angel 
Metatron  on  a  seat  registering  the  merits  of  the  holy  of  Israel. 
Struck  with  astonishment  at  the  sight,  he  exclaimed,  <(  Is  it  not  laid 
down  that  there  is  no  sitting  in  heaven,  no  shortsightedness  or  fa¬ 
tigue  ?w  Then  Metatron,  thus  discovered,  was  ordered  out  and  flogged 
with  sixty  lashes  from  a  fiery  scourge.  Smarting  with  pain,  the  angel 
asked  and  obtained  leave  to  cancel  the  merits  of  the  prying  Rabbi. 
One  day  —  it  chanced  to  be  on  Yom  Kippur  and  Sabbath  —  as  Elisha 
was  riding  along  by  the  wall  where  the  Holy  of  Holies  once  stood, 
he  heard  a  Bath  Kol  proclaiming,  <(  Return,  ye  backsliding  children, 
but  Acher  abide  thou  in  thy  sin  w  (Acher  was  the  Rabbi’s  nickname). 
A  faithful  disciple  of  his  hearing  this,  and  bent  on  reclaiming  and 
reforming  him,  invited  him  to  go  and  hear  the  lads  of  a  school 
close  by  repeat  their  lessons.  The  Rabbi  went,  and  from  that  to  an¬ 
other  and  another,  until  he  had  gone  the  round  of  a  dozen  semina¬ 
ries,  in  the  last  of  which  he  called  up  a  lad  to  repeat  a  verse  who  had 
an  impediment  in  his  speech.  The  verse  happened  to  be  Ps.  1.  16, 
<(But  unto  the  wicked,  God  saith,  Why  dost  thou  declare  my  law?^ 
Acher  fancied  the  boy  said,  and  to  Elisha  (his  own  name),  instead  of 
and  to  Rasha,  that  is,  the  wicked.  This  roused  the  Rabbi  into  such 
fury  of  passion,  that  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  exclaiming,  <(If  I  only  had 
a  knife  at  hand  I  would  cut  this  boy  into  a  dozen  pieces,  and  send  a 
piece  to  each  school  I  have  visited  !  ® 

A  woman  of  sixty  runs  after  music  like  a  girl  of  six. 

Moed  Katon ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

Rabba,  who  only  studied  the  law,  lived  forty  years  ; 
Abaii,  who  both  studied  the  law  and  exercised  benevolence, 
lived  sixty.  Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

The  manna  which  came  down  upon  Israel  was  sixty  ells 
deep.  Yoma ,  fol.  76,  col.  1. 

It  is  not  right  for  a  man  to  sleep  in  the  daytime  any 
longer  than  a  horse  sleeps.  And  how  long  is  the  sleep  of 
a  horse?  Sixty  respirations.  Succah ,  fol.  26,  col.  2. 

Abaii  says,  (<  When  I  left  Rabbah,  I  was  not  at  all  hun¬ 
gry  ;  but  when  I  arrived  at  Meree,  they  served  up  before 
me  sixty  dishes,  with  as  many  sorts  of  viands,  and  I  ate  half 
of  each,  but  as  for  hotch-potch,  which  the  last  dish  con¬ 
tained,  I  ate  up  all  of  it,  and  would  fain  have  eaten  up  the 
dish  too.**  Abaii  said,  <(  This  illustrates  the  proverb,  cur- 


i58 


THE  TALMUD 


rent  among  the  people,  ( The  poor  man  is  hungry,  and  does 
not  know  when  he  has  eaten  enough  ;  or,  there  is  always 
room  for  a  tit- bit.*  ®  Meggillah ,  fol.  7,  col.  2. 

There  are  sixty  kinds  of  wine ;  the  best  of  all  is  the  red 
aromatic  wine,  and  bad  white  wine  is  the  worst. 

Gittin ,  fol.  70,  col.  1. 

Samson’s  shoulders  were  sixty  ells  broad. 

Soteh ,  fol.  10,  col.  1. 

Ebal  and  Gerizim  were  sixty  miles  from  Jordan. 

Ibid.,  fol.  36,  col.  1. 

One  who  makes  a  good  breakfast  can  outstrip  sixty  run¬ 
ners  in  a  race  (who  have  not). 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  92,  col.  2. 

A  (hungry)  person  who  looks  on  while  another  eats,  ex¬ 
periences  sixty  unpleasant  sensations  in  his  teeth.  Ibid. 

His  wife  made  him  daily  sixty  sorts  of  dainties,  and 
these  restored  him  again.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  84,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Elazar,  the  son  of  Rabbi  Shimon,  once  vindictively  caused  a 
man  to  be  put  to  death,  merely  because  he  had  spoken  of  him  as 
Vinegar  the  son  of  Wine,  a  round-about  way  of  reproaching  him  that 
he  was  the  bad  son  of  a  good  father,  though  it  turned  out  afterward 
that  the  condemned  man  deserved  death  for  a  crime  that  he  was  not 
known  to  be  guilty  of  at  the  time  of  his  execution  ;  yet  the  mind  of 
the  Rabbi  was  ill  at  ease,  and  he  voluntarily  did  penance  by  subject¬ 
ing  himself  in  a  peculiar  fashion  to  great  bodily  suffering.  Sixty 
woolen  cloths  were  regularly  spread  under  him  every  night,  and  these 
were  found  soaked  in  the  morning  with  his  profuse  perspiration.  The 
result  of  this  was  greater  and  greater  bodily  prostration,  which  his 
wife  strove,  as  related  above,  day  after  day  to  repair,  detaining  him 
from  college,  lest  the  debates  there  should  prove  too  much  for  his 
weakened  frame.  When  his  wife  found  that  he  persisted  in  courting 
these  sufferings,  and  that  her  tender  care,  as  well  as  her  own  patri¬ 
mony,  were  being  lavished  on  him  in  vain,  she  tired  of  her  assiduit}', 
and  left  him  to  his  fate.  And  now,  waited  on  by  some  sailors,  who 
believed  they  owed  to  him  deliverance  from  a  watery  grave,  he  was 
free  to  do  as  he  liked.  One  day,  being  ministered  to  by  them  after 
a  night’s  perspiration  of  the  kind  referred  to,  he  went  straight  to  col¬ 
lege,  and  there  decided  sixty  doubtful  cases  against  the  unanimous 
dissent  of  the  assembly.  Providential  circumstances,  which  happened 
afterward,  both  proved  that  he  was  right  in  his  judgment  and  that 
his  wife  was  wrong  in  suffering  her  fondness  for  him  to  stand  in  the 
way  of  the  performance  of  his  public  duties. 


THE  TALMUD 


1S9 


Elijah  frequently  attended  the  Rabbi’s  seat  of  instruc¬ 
tion,  and  once,  on  the  first  of  a  month,  he  came  in  later 
than  usual.  Rabbi  asked  what  had  kept  him  so  late. 
Elijah  answered,  “I  have  to  wake  up  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob  one  after  the  other,  to  wash  the  hands  of  each,  and 
to  wait  until  each  has  said  his  prayers  and  retired  to  rest 
again.”  “But,”  said  Rabbi,  “why  do  they  not  all  get  up  at 
the  same  time?”  The  answer  was,  “Because  if  they 
prayed  all  at  once,  their  united  prayers  would  hurry  on 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah  before  the  time  appointed.” 
Then  said  Rabbi,  “  Are  there  any  such  praying  people 
among  us?”  Elijah  mentioned  Rabbi  Cheyah  and  his 
sons.  Then  Rabbi  announced  a  fast,  and  the  Rabbi 
Cheyah  and  his  sons  came  to  celebrate  it.  In  the  course 
of  repeating  the  Shemoneh  Esreh  *  they  were  about  to  say, 
“  Thou  restoreth  life  to  the  dead  ”  when  the  world  was 
convulsed,  and  the  question  was  asked  in  heaven,  “  Who 
told  them  the  secret?  ”  So  Elijah  was  bastinadoed  sixty 
strokes  with  a  cudgel  of  fire.  Then  he  came  down  like  a 
fiery  bear,  and  dashing  in  among  the  people,  scattered  the 
congregation.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  85,  col.  2. 

When  love  was  strong,  we  could  lie,  as  it  were,  on  the 
edge  of  a  sword ;  but  now,  when  love  is  diminished,  a 
bed  sixty  ells  wide  is  not  broad  enough  for  us. 

Sanhedrin,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

The  pig  bears  in  .sixty  days.  Bechoroth ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

Sixty  iron  mines  are  suspended  in  the  sting  of  a  gnat. 

Chullin ,  fol.  58,  col.  2. 

An  egg  once  dropped  out  of  the  nest  of  a  bird  called 
Bar-Yuchnei,  which  deluged  sixty  cities  and  swept  away 
three  hundred  cedars.  The  question  therefore  arose,  “  Does 
the  bird  generally  throw  out  its  eggs  ?  ”  Rav  Ashi  replied, 
“  No  ;  that  was  a  rotten  one.  ” 

Bechoroth,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

Everybody  knows  why  a  bride  enters  the  nuptial  cham¬ 
ber,  but  against  him  who  sullies  his  lips  by  talking  about 
it,  the  decree  for  good,  though  of  seventy  years’  standing, 

*  A  prayer  consisting  of  eighteen  Collects,  which  is  repeated  three 
times  each  day. 


i6o 


THE  TALMUD 


shall  be  reversed  into  a  decree  for  evil.  Rav  Chasda  says, 
<(  Whosoever  disgraces  his  mouth  (by  evil  communication), 
Gehenna  shall  be  deepened  for  him  ;  for  it  is  said  in  Prov. 
xxii.  14,  (A  deep  pit  for  the  mouth  of  strange  words  (im¬ 
moral  talk).*  **  Rav  Nachman  bar  Yitzchak  says,  <(  The 
same  punishment  will  be  inflicted  on  him  who  listens  to  it 
and  is  silent;  for  it  is  said  (Prov.  xxii.  14),  (And  he 
that  is  abhorred  of  the  Lord  shall  fall  therein. *  ® 

Shabbath,  fol.  33,  col.  1. 

(Jer.  xxiii.  29),  (<  Like  a  hammer  that  breaketh  the  rock 
in  pieces, w  so  is  every  utterance  which  proceedeth  from  the 
mouth  of  God,  divided  though  it  be  into  seventy  lan¬ 
guages.  Ibid. ,  fol.  88,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Eliezer  asked,  <(  For  whose  benefit  were  those  sev¬ 
enty  bullocks  intended  ?  »  See  Num.  xxix.  12-36.  For  the 
seventy  nations  into  which  the  Gentile  world  is  divided ; 
and  Rashi  plainly  asserts  that  the  seventy  bullocks  were 
intended  to  atone  for  them,  that  rain  might  descend 
all  over  the  world,  for  on  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  judg¬ 
ment  is  given  respecting  rain,  etc.  Woe  to  the  Gentile  na¬ 
tions  for  their  loss,  and  they  know  not  what  they  have 
lost !  for  as  long  as  the  Temple  existed,  the  altar  made 
atonement  for  them  ;  but  now,  who  is  to  atone  for  them  ? 

Succah,  fol.  55,  col.  2. 

Choni,  the  Maagol,  once  saw  in  his  travels  an  old  man 
planting  a  carob-tree,  and  he  asked  him  when  he  thought 
the  tree  would  bear  fruit.  <(  After  seventy  years, >}  was  the 
reply.  (<  What !  w  said  Choni,  <(  dost  thou  expect  to  live 
seventy  years  and  eat  the  fruit  of  thy  labor  ? w  <(  I  did  not 
find  the  world  desolate  when  I  entered  it,®  said  the  old 
man ;  <(  and  as  my  fathers  planted  for  me  before  I  was 
born,  so  I  plant  for  those  that  will  come  after  me.® 

Taanith ,  fol.  23,  col.  1. 

Mordecai  was  one  of  those  who  sat  in  the  hall  of  the 
Temple,  and  he  knew  seventy  languages. 

Megillah ,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  :  During  a  prosperous  year  in 
Israel,  a  place  that  is  sown  with  a  single  measure  of  seed 
produces  five  myriad  cors  of  grain.  In  the  tilled  districts 


THE  TALMUD 


1 6 1 


of  Zoan,  one  measure  of  seed  produces  seventy  cors ;  for 
we  are  told  that  Rabbi  Meir  said  he  himself  had  witnessed 
in  the  vale  of  Bethshean  an  instance  of  one  measure  of  seed 
producing  seventy  cors.  And  there  is  no  better  land  any¬ 
where  than  the  land  of  Egypt  ;  for  it  is  said,  <(  As  the 
garden  of  the  Lord,  like  the  land  of  Egypt. ”  And  there 
is  no  better  land  in  all  Egypt  than  Zoan,  where  several 
kings  have  resided;  for  it  is  written  (Isa.  xxx.  4),  <(  His 
princes  were  in  Zoan.”  In  all  Israel  there  was  no  more 
unsuitable  soil  than  Hebron,  for  it  was  a  burying-place, 
and  yet  Hebron  was  seven  times  more  prolific  than  Zoan  ; 
for  it  is  written  (Num.  xiii.  22),  ((  Now  Hebron  was  built 
seven  years  before  Zoan  in  Egypt. ”  For  it  is  said  (Gen. 
x.  6),  <(  And  the  sons  of  Ham,  Cush,  Mizraim  (that  is, 
Egypt),  Phut,  and  Canaan”  (that  is,  Israel).  It  must, 
therefore,  mean  that  it  was  seven  times  more  prolific  (the 
verb  meaning  both  to  build  and  to  produce)  than  Zoan.  This 
is  only  in  the  unsuitable  soil  of  the  land  of  Israel,  Hebron, 
but  in  the  suitable  soil  (the  increase)  is  five  hundred 
times.  All  this  applies  to  a  year  of  average  return,  but  in 
one  of  special  prosperity,  it  is  written  (Gen.  xxvi.  12), 
<(  Then  Isaac  sowed  in  that  land,  and  received  in  the  same 
year  an  hundredfold,  and  the  Lord  blessed  him.”  (The 
word  years,  is  conveniently  overlooked  in  working  out  the 
argument.)  Kethuboth ,  fol.  112,  col.  1. 

The  astrologers  in  Egypt  said  to  Pharaoh,  <(  What  !  shall 
a  slave  wrhose  master  bought  him  for  twenty  pieces  of  silver 
rule  over  us  ?  ”  Pharaoh  replied,  (<  But  I  find  him  endowed 
with  kingly  qualities.”  (<  If  that  is  the  case,”  they  an¬ 
swered,  he  must  know  seventy  languages.”  Then  came 
the  angel  Gabriel,  and  taught  him  seventy  languages. 

Soteh ,  fol.  36,  col.  2. 

When  the  leviathan  makes  the  deep  boil,  the  sea  does 
not  recover  its  calm  for  seventy  years  ;  for  it  is  said  (Job 
xli.  32),  (<  One  would  think  the  deep  is  to  be  hoary,”  and 
we  cannot  take  the  word  <(  hoary  ”  to  imply  a  term  of  less 
than  seventy  years.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  75,  col.  1. 

Abba  Chalepha  Keruya  once  remarked  to  Rav  Clieyah 
bar  Abba,  (<  The  sum  total  of  Jacob’s  family  thou  findest 


162 


THE  TALMUD 


reckoned  at  seventy,  whereas  the  numbers  added  up  make 
only  sixty-nine.  How  is  that? })  Rav  Cheyah  made  an¬ 
swer  that  the  particle  in  verse  15,  implies  that  Dinah 
must  have  been  one  of  twin-sisters.  ®But,>>  objected  the 
other,  <(  the  same  particle  occurs  also  in  connection  with 
Benjamin,  to  say  nothing  of  other  instances. }>  <(  Alas  !  * 

said  Rav  Cheyah,  <(  I  am  possessed  of  a  secret  worth  know¬ 
ing,  and  thou  art  trying  to  worm  it  out  of  me.®  Then 
interposed  Rav  Chama  bar  Chanena,  <(  The  number  may  be 
made  up  by  reckoning  Jochebed  in,  for  of  her  it  is  said 
(Num.  xxvi.  59)  (that  her  mother  bare  her  to  Levi  in 
Egypt ;  y  her  birth  took  place  in  Egypt,  though  she  was 
conceived  on  the  journey. ® 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  123,  cols.  1,  2. 

Rav  Yehudah  says  in  the  name  of  Shemuel :  —  There  is 
yet  another  festival  in  Rome,  which  is  observed  only  once 
in  seventy  years,  and  this  is  the  manner  of  its  celebration. 
They  take  an  able-bodied  man,  without  physical  defect,  and 
cause  him  to  ride  upon  the  back  of  a  lame  one.  They 
dress  up  the  former  in  the  garments  of  Adam  (such  as 
God  made  for  him  in  Paradise),  and  cover  his  face  with 
the  skin  of  the  face  of  Rabbi  Ishmael,  the  high  priest,  and 
adorn  his  neck  with  a  precious  stone.  They  illuminate  the 
streets,  and  then  lead  the  two  men  through  the  city,  a 
herald  proclaiming  before  them,  <(  The  account  of  our  Lord 
was  false ;  it  is  the  brother  of  our  Lord  that  is  the  de¬ 
ceiver  !  He  that  sees  this  festival  sees  it,  and  he  that  does 
not  see  it  now  will  never  see  it.  What  advantage  to  the 
deceiver  is  his  deception,  and  to  the  crafty  his  craftiness  ?  w 
The  proclamation  finishes  up  thus  —  <(  Woe  to  this  one  when 
the  other  shall  rise  again  ! Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  11,  col.  2. 

The  Targum  Yarushalmi  informs  us  that  the  Lord  God  wrought  for 
Adam  and  his  wife  robes  of  honor  from  the  cast-off  skin  of  the  ser¬ 
pent.  We  learn  elsewhere  that  Nimrod  came  into  possession  of  Adam’s 
coat  through  Ham,  who  stole  it  from  Noah  while  in  the  Ark.  The 
glib  tongue  of  tradition  also  tells  how  Esau  slew  Nimrod  and  appro¬ 
priated  the  garment,  and  wore,  it  for  luck  when  hunting ;  but  that  on 
the  day  when  he  went  to  seek  venison  at  the  request  of  his  dying 
parent,  in  his  hurry  he  forgot  the  embroidered  robe  of  Adam,  and 
had  bad  luck  in  consequence.  Then  Jacob  borrowed  the  left-off  gar¬ 
ment,  and  kept  it  for  himself.  The  mask  alluded  to  is  accounted  for 


THE  TALMUD 


163 

thus  :  — The  daughter  of  a  Roman  emperor  took  a  fancy  to  have  the 
skin  of  Rabbi  Ishmael’s  face,  and  it  accordingly,  when  he  was  dead, 
was  taken  off,  and  so  embalmed  as  to  retain  its  features,  expression, 
and  complexion,  and  the  Jews  say  that  it  is  still  preserved  among  the 
relics  at  Rome.  The  able-bodied  man  in  this  prophetic  mystery-play 
represents  Esau,  and  the  limping  man  is  intended  for  Jacob.  Rome 
(or  Esau)  is  uppermost  in  that  ceremonial,  but  the  time  is  coming 
when  Jacob  will  rise  and  invest  himself  in  the  blessings  he  so  craftily 
obtained  the  reversion  of. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  said  :  —  None  were  elected  to  sit  in  the 
High  Council  of  the  Sanhedrin  except  men  of  stature,  of 
wisdom,  of  imposing  appearance,  and  of  mature  age  ;  men 
who  knew  witchcraft  and  seventy  languages,  in  order  that 
the  High  Council  of  the  Sanhedrin  should  have  no  need  of 
an  interpreter.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

Yehudah  and  Chiskiyah,  the  sons  of  Rabbi  Cheyah,  once 
sat  down  to  a.  meal  before  Rabbi  (the  Holy)  without 
speaking  a  word.  “Give  the  boys  some  wine,”  said  Rabbi, 
“that  they  may  have  boldness  to  speak.”  When  they  had 
partaken  of  the  wine,  they  said,  <(  The  son  of  David  will 
not  come  until  the  two  patriarchal  houses  of  Israel  are  no 
more,”  that  is,  the  head  of  the  Captivity  in  Babylon  and 
the  Prince  in  the  land  of  Israel ;  for  it  is  written  (Isa.  viii. 
14),  “And  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary,  and  for  a  stone  of 
stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offense  to  both  the  houses  of  Israel.  ” 
“Why,  children,”  said  Rabbi  (who  was  patriarch  of  Tibe¬ 
rias),  “you  are  thrusting  thorns  into  my  eyes.”  Rabbi 
Cheyah  said,  “  Do  not  be  offended  at  them.  Wine  is  given 
with  seventy,  and  so  is  a  secret  (the  numerical  value  of 
each  of  these  words  is  seventy)  ;  when  wine  enters  the 
secret  oozes  out.”  Ibid .,  fol.  38,  col.  1. 

A  certain  star  appears  once  in  seventy  years  and  deceives 
the  sailors  (who  guide  their  vessels  by  the  position  of  the 
heavenly  bodies  ;  and  this  star  appears  sometimes  in  the 
north  and  sometimes  in  the  south. — Rashi .) 

Horayoth ,  fol.  10,  cob  i. 

As  eating  olive  berries  causes  one  to  forget  things  that 
he  has  known  for  seventy  years,  so  olive  oil  brings  back 
to  the  memory  things  which  happened  seventy  years  before. 

Ibid.,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 


164 


THE  TALMUD 


The  outside  of  the  shell  of  the  purple  mollusk  resembles 
the  sea  in  color  ;  its  bodily  conformation  is  like  that  of  a 
fish ;  it  rises  once  in  seventy  years ;  its  blood  is  used  to 
dye  wool  purple,  and  therefore  this  color  is  dear. 

Menachoth ,  fol.  44,  col.  1. 

The  bearing-time  of  the  flat-headed  otter  lasts  seventy 
years  ;  a  parallel  may  be  found  in  the  carob-tree,  from  the 
planting  to  the  ripening  of  the  pods  of  which  is  seventy 
years.  Berachoth ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

The  Sanhedrin  consisted  of  seventy-one  members.  It  is 
recorded  that  Rabbi  Yossi  said,  (<  Seldom  was  there  conten¬ 
tion  in  Israel,  but  the  judicial  court  of  seventy-one  sat  in 
the  Lishkath-hagazith,  i.  e.,  Paved  Hall,  and  two  (ordi¬ 
nary)  courts  of  justice  consisting  of  twenty-three,  one  of 
which  vSat  at  the  entrance  of  the  Temple-Mount,  and  the 
other  at  the  entrance  of  the  ante-court ;  and  also 
(provincial)  courts  of  justice,  also  comprising  twenty-three 
members,  which  held  their  sessions  in  all  the  cities  of 
Israel.  When  an  Israelite  had  a  question  to  propose,  he 
asked  it  first  of  the  court  in  his  own  city.  If  they  under¬ 
stood  the  case,  they  settled  the  matter ;  but  if  not,  they 
applied  to  the  court  of  the  next  city.  If  the  neighboring 
justices  could  not  decide,  they  went  together  and  laid  the 
case  in  debate  before  the  court  which  held  its  session  at 
the  entrance  of  the  Temple-Mount.  If  these  courts,  in 
turn,  failed  to  solve  the  problem,  they  appealed  to  the 
court  that  sat  in  the  entrance  of  the  ante-court,  where  a 
discussion  was  entered  into  upon  the  moot  points  of  the 
case ;  if  no  decision  could  be  arrived  at,  they  all  referred 
to  the  (supreme)  court  of  seventy-one,  where  the  matter 
was  finally  decided  by  the  majority  of  votes.  ® 

As  the  disciples  of  Shammai  and  Hillel  multiplied  who 
had  not  studied  the  law  thoroughly,  contentions  increased 
in  Israel  to  such  an  extent  that  the  law  lost  its  unity  and 
became  as  two.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  88,  col.  2. 

4 

The  Sanhedrin  sat  in  a  semicircle,  in  order  that  they  might  see 
one  another ;  and  two  notaries  stood  before  them,  the  one  on  the 
right  and  the  other  on  the  left,  to  record  the  pros  and  cons  in  the 
various  processes.  Rabbi  Yehudah  says  there  were  three  such  nota- 


THE  TALMUD 


1 65 


ries,  one  for  the  pros,  one  for  the  cons,  and  one  to  record  both  the 
pros  and  the  cons.  ( Sanhedrin ,  fol.  36,  col.  2.) 

The  witnesses  (in  capital  cases)  were  questioned  on  seven  points,  as 
follows :  —  In  what  Shemitah  (or  septennial  cycle)  did  it  occur  ?  In 
which  year  ( of  the  cycle)  ?  In  what  month  ?  Upon  what  day  ?  At  what 
hour  ?  In  what  place  ?  .  .  .  The  more  one  questioned  the  more  he 

was  commended.  (See  Deut.  xiii.  15;  A.  V.,  ver.  14.)  {Ibid.,  fol.  40, 
col.  1.) 

In  connection  with  the  foregoing  subject,  let  us  string 
together  some  of  the  gems  of  forensic  wisdom  to  be  met 
•with  in  the  Talmud.  A  score  or  so  of  bona  fide  quotations, 
respecting  judges,  criminals  and  criminal  punishment,  and 
witnesses,  will  serve  to  illustrate  this  part  of  our  subject. 

Judges. 

The  judge,  says  the  Scripture,  who  for  but  one  hour  ad¬ 
ministers  justice  according  to  true  equity,  is  a  partner,  as 
it  were,  with  God  in  His  work  of  creation. 

Shabbath,  fol.  10,  col.  1. 

Despicable  is  the  judge  who  judges  for  reward  ;  yet  his 
judgment  is  law,  and  must,  as  such,  be  respected. 

Kethuboth ,  fol.  105,  col.  1. 

The  judge  who  accepts  a  bribe,  however  perfectly  right¬ 
eous  otherwise,  will  not  leave  this  world  with  sane  mind. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  105,  col.  2. 

A  judge  will  establish  the  land  if,  like  a  king,  he  want 
nothing  ;  but  he  will  ruin  it  if,  like  a  priest,  he  receive 
gifts  from  the  threshing-floor.  Ibid. 

Once  when  Shemuel  was  crossing  a  river  in  a  ferryboat, 
a  man  lent  a  sustaining  hand  to  prevent  him  from  falling. 
<(What,”  said  the  Rabbi,  (<  have  I  done  for  thee,  that  thou 
art  so  attentive  with  thy  services?”  The  man  replied,  <(  I 
have  a  lawsuit  before  thee.”  <(  In  that  case,”  said  Shemuel, 
<(  thy  attention  has  disqualified  me  from  judging  in  thy 
lawsuit.” 

Ameimar  was  once  sitting  in  judgment,  when  a  man 
stepped  forward  and  removed  some  feathers  that  were  cling¬ 
ing  to  his  hair.  Upon  this  the  judge  asked,  <(  What  service 
have  I  done  thee  ?  ”  The  man  replied,  (<  I  have  a  case  to 


THE  TALMUD 


1 66 

bring  up  before  thee,  my  lord.”  The  Rabbi  replied,  (<  Thou 
hast  disqualified  me  from  being  judge  in  the  matter.” 

Mar  Ukva  once  noticed  a  man  politely  step  up  and  cover 
some  saliva  which  lay  on  the  ground  before  him.  <(  What 
have  I  done  for  thee  ?  ”  said  the  Rabbi.  <(  I  have  a  case  to 
bring  before  thee,”  said  the  man.  (<  Thou  hast  bribed  me 
with  thy  kind  attention,”  said  the  Rabbi;  (<  I  cannot  be  thy 
judge.” 

Rabbi  Ishmael,  son  of  Rabbi  Yossi,  had  a  gardener  who 
regularly  brought  him  a  basket  of  grapes  every  Friday. 
Bringing  it  once  on  a  Thursday,  the  Rabbi  asked  him  the 
reason  why  he  had  come  a  day  earlier.  <(  My  lord,”  said 
the  gardener,  <(  having  a  lawsuit  to  come  off  before  thee 
to-day,  I  thought  by  so  doing  I  might  save  myself  the 
journey  to-morrow.”  Upon  this  the  Rabbi  both  refused  to 
take  the  basket  of  grapes,  though  they  were  really  his  own, 
and  declined  to  act  as  judge  in  the  process.  He,  however, 
appointed  two  Rabbis  to  judge  the  case  in  his  stead,  and 
while  they  were  investigating  the  evidence  in  the  litigation 
he  kept  pacing  up  and  down,  and  saying  to  himself,  if  the 
gardener  were  sharp  he  might  say  so-and-so  in  his  own  be¬ 
half.  He  was  at  one  time  on  the  point  of  speaking  in 
defense  of  his  gardener,  when  he  checked  himself  and  said, 
<(  The  receivers  of  bribes  may  well  look  to  their  souls.  If 
I  feel  partial  who  have  not  even  taken  a  bribe  of  what 
was  my  own,  how  perverted  must  the  disposition  of  those 
become  who  receive  bribes  at  the  hands  of  others  !  ” 

Kethuboth ,  fol.  105,  col.  1. 

The  judge  who  takes  a  bribe  only  provokes  wrath,  in¬ 
stead  of  allaying  it  ;  for  is  it  not  said  (Prov.  xxi.  14),  <(A 
reward  in  the  bosom  bringeth  strong  wrath  ”  ? 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

Uet  judges  know  with  whom  and  before  whom  they 
judge,  and  who  it  is  that  will  one  day  exact  account  of 
their  judgments;  for  it  is  said  (Ps.  lxxxii.  1),  <(  God  stand- 
eth  in  the  assembly  of  God,  and  judge th  with  the  judges.” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  6,  col.  2. 

A  judge  who  does  not  judge  justly  causeth  the  Shechinah 
to  depart  from  Israel;  for  it  is  said  (Ps.  xii.  5),  (<  For  the 


THE  TALMUD 


167 


oppression  of  the  poor,  the  sighing  of  the  needy,  now  will 
I  depart,  saith  the  Lord.”  Sanhedrm ,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

The  judge  should  ever  regard  himself  as  if  he  had  a 
sword  laid  upon  his  thigh,  and  Gehenna  were  yawning  near 
him  ;  as  it  is  said  (Solomon’s  Song,  iii.  7,  8),  <(  Behold  the 
bed  of  Solomon  (the  judgment-seat  of  God),  threescore 
valiant  men  are  about  it,  of  the  valiant  of  Israel.  They 
all  hold  swords,  being  expert  in  war  (with  injustice). 
Every  one  has  his  sword  upon  his  thigh,  for  fear  of  the 
night  *  (the  confusion  that  would  follow). 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  109,  col.  2  ;  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

Seven  have,  in  the  popular  regard,  no  portion  in  the 
world  to  come  :  a  notary,  a  schoolmaster,  the  best  of  doc¬ 
tors,  a  judge  in  his  native  place,  a  conjuror,  a  congrega¬ 
tional  reader,  and  a  butcher. 

Avotk  d ’  Rabbi  Nathan ,  chap.  36. 

Witnesses. 

An  ignoramus  is  ineligible  for  a  witness. 

The  following  are  ineligible  as  witnesses  of  the  appear¬ 
ance  of  the  new  moon :  —  Dice-players,  usurers,  pigeon- 
fliers,  sellers  of  the  produce  of  the  year  of  release,  and 
slaves.  This  is  the  general  rule ;  in  any  case  in  which 
women  are  inadmissible  as  witnesses,  they  also  are  inad¬ 
missible  here.  Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  22,  col.  1. 

Two  disciples  of  the  wise  happened  to  be  shipwrecked 
with  Rabbi  Yossi  ben  Simaii,  and  the  Rabbi  allowed  their 
widows  to  re-marry  on  the  testimony  of  women.  Even  the 
testimony  of  a  hundred  women  is  only  equal  to  the  evi¬ 
dence  of  one  man  (and  that  only  in  a  case  like  the  fore¬ 
going  ;  it  is  inadmissible  in  any  other  matter). 

Yevamoth ,  fol.  115,  col.  1. 

<(  Whosoever  is  not  instructed  in  Scripture,  in  the  Mishna, 
and  in  good  manners, ”  says  Rabbi  Yochanan,  <(  is  not  qual¬ 
ified  to  act  as  a  witness. ”  <(  He  who  eats  in  the  street,  ” 

say  the  Rabbis,  <(  is  like  a  dog  ;  ”  and  some  add  that  such  a  one 
is  ineligible  as  a  witness,  and  Rav  Iddi  bar  Avin  says  the 
Halachah  is  as  (< some  say.”  Kiddushint  fol.  40,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


1 68 

Even  when  a  witness  is  paid,  his  testimony  is  not  thereby 
invalidated.  Kiddushm ,  fol.  58,  col.  2. 

Testimony  that  is  invalidated  in  part  is  invalidated  en¬ 
tirely.  Bava  Kama ,  fol.  73,  col.  1. 

Let  witnesses  know  with  whom  and  before  whom  they 
bear  testimony,  and  who  will  one  day  call  them  to  account  ; 
for  it  is  said  (Deut.  xix.  17),  “Both  the  men  between 
■whom  the  controversy  is  shall  stand  before  the  Lord.” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  6,  col.  2. 

Those  that  eat  another  thing  (i.  e.,  not  pork,  but  those 
who  receive  charity  from  a  Gentile. —  Rashi  and  Tosefoth) 
are  disqualified  from  being  witnesses.  When  is  this  the 
case?  When  done  publicly  ;  but  if  in  secret,  not  so. 

Ibid.,  fol.  26,  col.  2. 

He  who  swears  falsely  in  a  capital  case  is  unreliable  as  a 
witness  in  any  other  suit  at  law ;  but  if  he  has  perjured 
himself  in  a  civil  case  only,  his  evidence  may  be  relied  upon 
in  cases  where  life  and  death  are  concerned. 

Ibid.,  fol.  27,  col.  1. 

He  who  disavows  a  loan  is  fit  to  be  a  witness ;  but  he 
who  disowns  a  deposit  in  trust  is  unfit. 

Shevuoth ,  fol.  40,  col.  2. 

Shimon  ben  Shetach  says,  ®  Fully  examine  the  witnesses  ; 
be  careful  with  thy  words,  lest  from  them  they  learn  to 
lie.”  Avoth ,  chap.  1. 

Criminals  and  Criminal  Punishments. 

Four  kinds  of  capital  punishment  were  decreed  by  the 
court  of  justice: — Stoning,  burning,  beheading,  and  strang¬ 
ling  ;  or  as  Rabbi  Shimon  arranges  them  —  Burning,  ston¬ 
ing,  strangling,  and  beheading.  As  soon  as  the  sentence 
of  death  is  pronounced,  the  criminal  is  led  out  to  be  stoned, 
the  stoning-place  being  at  a  distance  from  the  court  of 
justice;  for  it  is  said  (Lev.  xxiv.  14),  “Bring  forth  him  that 
hath  cursed  without  the  camp.”  Then  one  official  stands 
at  the  door  of  the  court  of  justice  with  a  ffag  in  his  hand, 
and  another  is  stationed  on  horseback  at  such  a  distance  as 
to  be  able  to  see  the  former.  If,  meanwhile,  one  comes 


THE  TALMUD 


169 


and  declares  before  the  court,  (<  I  have  something  further  to 
urge  in  defense  of  the  prisoner,”  the  man  at  the  door  waves 
his  flag,  and  the  mounted  official  rides  forward  and  stops 
the  procession.  Even  if  the  criminal  himself  says,  <(  I  have 
yet  something  to  plead  in  my  defense,”  he  is  to  be  brought 
back,  even  four  or  five  times  over,  provided  there  is  some¬ 
thing  of  importance  in  his  deposition.  If  the  evidence  is 
exculpatory,  he  is  discharged  ;  if  not,  he  is  led  out  to  be 
stoned.  As  he  proceeds  to  the  place  of  execution,  a  public 
crier  goes  before  him  and  proclaims,  <(  So-and-so,  the  son 
of  So-and-so,  goes  out  to  be  stoned  because  he  has  com¬ 
mitted  such-and-such  a  crime,  and  So-and-so  and  So-and-so 
are  the  -witnesses.  Let  him  who  knows  of  anything  that  pleads 
in  his  defense  come  forward  and  state  it.”  When  about  ten 
yards  from  the  stoning-place,  the  condemned  is  called  upon 
to  confess  his  guilt.  (All  about  to  be  executed  were  urged 
to  confess,  as  by  making  confession  every  criminal  made 
good  a  portion  in  the  world  to  come  ;  for  so  we  find  it  in 
the  case  of  Achan,  when  Joshua  said  unto  him  (Josh.  vii. 
19),  ((  My  son,  give,  I  pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel,  and  make  confession  unto  him,”  etc.  <(  And  Achan 
answered  Joshua  and  said,  Indeed  I  have  sinned.”  But 
where  are  we  taught  that  his  confession  was  his  atonement  ? 
Where  it  is  said  ( ibid .,  v.  25),  <(  And  Joshua  said,  Why 
hast  thou  troubled  us?  The  Lord  shall  trouble  thee  this 
day;”  as  if  to  say,  <(This  day  thou  shalt  be  troubled,  but 
in  the  world  to  come  thou  shalt  not  be  troubled.”)  About 
four  yards  from  the  stoning-place  they  stripped  off  the  crim¬ 
inal’s  clothes,  covering  a  male  in  front,  but  a  female  both 
before  and  behind.  These  are  the  words  of  Rabbi  Yehu- 
dah  ;  but  the  sages  say  a  man  was  stoned  naked,  but  not 
a  female. 

The  stoning-place  was  twice  the  height  of  a  man,  and 
this  the  criminal  ascended.  One  of  the  witnesses  then 
pushed  him  from  behind,  and  he  tumbled  down  upon  his 
chest.  He  was  then  turned  over  upon  his  back  :  if  he 
was  killed,  the  execution  was  complete ;  but  if  not  quite 
dead,  the  second  witness  took  a  heavy  stone  and  cast  it 
upon  his  chest  ;  and  if  this  did  not  prove  effectual,  then 
the  stoning  was  completed  by  all  present  joining  in  the 


170 


THE  TALMUD 


act;  as  it  is  said  (Deut.  xvii.  7),  <(  The  hands  of  the  wit¬ 
nesses  shall  be  first  upon  him  to  put  him  to  death,  and 
afterward  the  hands  of  all  the  people.  ” 

<(  Criminals  who  were  stoned  dead  were  afterward  hanged. ” 
These  are  the  words  of  Rabbi  Eliezer ;  but  the  sages  say 
none  were  hanged  but  the  blasphemer  and  the  idolator. 
((  They  hanged  a  man  with  his  face  toward  the  people,  but 
a  woman  with  her  face  toward  the  gallows. ”  These  are 
the  words  of  Rabbi  Eliezer  ;  but  the  sages  say  a  man  is 
hanged,  but  no  woman  is  hanged.  .  .  .  How  then  did 
they  hang  the  man?  A  post  was  firmly  fixed  into  the 
ground,  from  which  an  arm  of  wood  projected,  and  they 
tied  the  hands  of  the  corpse  together  and  so  suspended  it. 
Rabbi  Yossi  says,  (( The  beam  simply  leaned  against  a 
wall,  and  so  they  hung  up  the  body  as  butchers  do  an  ox 
or  a  sheep,  and  it  was  soon  afterward  taken  down  again, 
for  if  it  remained  over  night  a  prohibition  of  the  law  would 
have  been  thereby  transgressed. ”  For  it  is  said  (Deut.  xxi. 
23),  (<  His  body  shall  not  remain  all  night  upon  the  tree, 
but  thou  shalt  in  any  wise  bury  him  that  day  ;  for  he  that 
is  hanged  is  accursed  of  God,”  etc.  That  is  to  say,  people 
would  ask  why  this  one  was  hanged ;  and  as  the  reply 
would  needs  be,  (<  Because  he  blasphemed  God,”  this  would 
lead  to  the  use  of  God’s  name  under  circumstances  in 
which  it  would  be  blasphemed. 

The  sentence  of  burning  was  carried  out  thus:- — They 
fixed  the  criminal  up  to  his  knees  in  manure,  and  a  hard 
cloth  wrapped  in  a  softer  material  was  passed  round  his 
neck.  One  of  the  witnesses,  taking  hold  of  this,  pulled  it 
one  way,  and  another  the  other,  until  the  criminal  was 
forced  to  open  his  mouth ;  then  a  wick  of  lead  was  lighted 
and  thrust  into  his  mouth,  the  molten  lead  running  down 
into  his  bowels  and  burning  them.  Rabbi  Yehudah  asks, 
<(  If  the  criminal  should  die  in  their  hands,  how  wrould 
that  fulfill  the  commandment  respecting  burning?”  But 
they  forcibly  open  his  mouth  with  a  pair  of  tongues  and  the 
lighted  wire  (the  molten  lead)  is  thrust  into  his  mouth, 
so  that  it  goes  down  into  his  bowels  and  burns  his  inside. 

The  sentence  of  beheading  was  executed  thus:  —  They 
sometimes  cut  off  the  criminal’s  head  with  a  sword,  as  is 


THE  TALMUD 


171 

done  among  the  Romans.  But  Rabbi  Yehudah  says  this 
was  degrading,  and  in  some  cases  they  placed  the  culprit’s 
head  upon  the  block  and  struck  it  off  with  an  ax.  Some 
one  remarked  to  him  that  such  a  death  is  more  degrad¬ 
ing  still. 

The  sentence  of  strangling  was  carried  out  thus :  —  They 
fixed  the  criminal  up  to  his  knees  in  manure,  and  having 
twined  a  hard  cloth  within  a  soft  one  round  his  neck,  one 
witness  pulled  one  way  and  the  other  pulled  in  an  opposite 
direction  till  life  was  extinct. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  42,  col.  2  ;  fol.  49,  col.  2  ;  fol.  52,  cols.  1,  2. 

The  above,  which  has  been  translated  almost  literally  from  the 
Talmud,  may  serve  to  remove  many  misconceptions  now  current  as  to 
the  modes  of  capital  punishment  that  obtained  in  Jewry. 

In  further  illustration  of  this  topic,  we  will  append  some  of  the 
legal  decisions  that  are  recorded  in  the  Talmud,  authenticating  each 
by  reference  to  folio  and  column.  Examples  might  be  multiplied  by 
the  score,  but  a  sufficient  number  will  be  quoted  to  give  a  fair  idea 
of  Rabbinic  jurisprudence. 

If  one  who  intends  to  kill  a  beast  (accidentally)  kill  a 
man  ;  or  if,  purposing  to  kill  a  Gentile,  he  slay  an  Israel¬ 
ite  ;  or  if  he  destroy  a  foetus  in  mistake  for  an  embryo,  he 
shall  be  free  ;  i.  e.}  not  guilty. 

Ibid.,  fol.  78,  col.  2. 

He  who  has  been  flogged  and  exposes  himself  again  to 
the  same  punishment  is  to  be  shut  up  in  a  narrow  cell,  in 
which  he  can  only  stand  upright,  and  be  fed  with  barley 
till  he  burst.  Ibid.,  fol.  81,  col.  2. 

If  one  commits  murder,  and  there  is  not  sufficient  legal 
evidence,  he  is  to  be  shut  up  in  a  narrow  cell  and  fed  with 
(( the  bread  of  adversity  and  the  water  of  affliction  w  (Isa. 
xxx.  20).  They  give  him  this  diet  till  his  bowels  shrink, 
and  then  he  is  fed  with  barley  till  (as  it  swells  in  his  bowels) 
his  intestines  burst.  Ibid. 

A  woman  who  is  doomed,  being  enceinte ,  to  suffer  the 
extreme  penalty  of  the  law,  is  first  beaten,  about  the  womb, 
lest  a  mishap  occur  at  the  execution. 

Erachin ,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

If  a  woman  who  has  vowed  the  vow  of  a  Nazarite  drink 
wine  or  defile  herself  by  contact  with  a  dead  body  (see 


172 


THE  TALMUD 


Nurn.  vi.  2-6),  she  is  to  undergo  the  punishment  of  forty 
stripes.  Nazir ,  fol.  23,  col.  1. 

The  Rabbis  teach  that  when  the  woman  has  to  be  flogged, 
the  man  has  only  to  bring  a  sacrifice  ;  and  that  if  she  is 
not  to  be  flogged,  the  man  is  not  required  to  bring  a  sac¬ 
rifice.  (This  is  in  reference  to  Lev.  xix.  20,  21.) 

Kerithoth,  fol.  11,  col.  1. 

Rav  Yehudah  says,  <(  He  that  eats  a  certain  aquatic  in¬ 
sect,  the  swallowing  of  which  wdiile  drinking  would  involve  no 
penalty  whatever  —  Tosefoth,  receives  forty  stripes  save  one 
(the  penalty  for  transgressing  the  negative  precepts),  for 
it  belongs  to  the  class  of  Creeping  things  that  do  creep 
upon  the  earth*  (Lev.  xi.  29).  ®  Rav  Yehudah  once  gave 
a  practical  exemplification  of  this  ruling  of  his. 

Abaii  says,  (<  He  that  eats  a  particular  animalcule  found 
in  stagnant  water,  receives  four  times  forty  stripes  save 
one.  For  eating  an  ant  this  penalty  is  five  times  repeated, 
and  for  eating  a  wasp  it  is  inflicted  six  times.  * 

Maccoth ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

When  one  is  ordered  to  construct  a  booth,  or  to  prepare  a 
palm-branch  for  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  or  to  make  fringes, 
and  does  not  do  so,  he  is  to  be  flogged  till  his  soul  conies 
out  of  him.  Chullin ,  fol.  132,  col.  2. 

Once  on  a  time,  as  the  Rabbis  relate,  the  wicked  Gov¬ 
ernment  sent  two  officers  to  the  wise  men  of  Israel,  saying, 
<(  Teach  us  your  law. **  This  being  put  into  their  hands, 
three  times  over  they  perused  it ;  and  when  about  to  leave 
they  returned  it,  remarking,  <(  We  have  carefully  studied 
your  law,  and  find  it  equitable  save  in  one  particular.  You 
say  :  When  the  ox  of  an  Israelite  gores  to  death  the  ox  of 
an  alien,  its  owner  is  not  liable  to  make  compensation  ;  but 
if  the  ox  of  an  alien  gore  to  death  the  ox  of  an  Israelite, 
its  owner  must  make  full  amends  for  the  loss  of  the  ani¬ 
mal  ;  whether  it  be  the  first  or  second  time  that  the  ox  has 
so  killed  another  (in  which  case  an  Israelite  would  have  to 
pay  to  another  Israelite  only  half  the  value  of  the  loss), 
or  the  third  time  (when  he  would  be  fined  to  the  full  ex^ 
tent  of  his  neighbor’s  loss).  Either  ‘neighbor*  (in  Exod. 
xxi.  35,  for  such  the  word  signifies  in  the  original  Hebrew, 


THE  TALMUD 


173 


though  the  Authorized  Version  has  another)  is  taken  strictly 
as  referring  to  an  Israelite  only,  and  then  an  alien  should 
be  exempted  as  well ;  or  if  the  word  ( neighbor >  is  to  be 
taken  in  its  widest  sense,  why  should  not  an  Israelite  be 
bound  to  pay  when  his  ox  gores  to  death  the  ox  of  an 
alien  ? ”  <(  This  legal  point, ”  was  the  answer,  <(  we  do  not 

tell  the  Government.  ”  As  Rashi  says  in  reference  to  the 
preceding  Halacha,  <(  an  alien  forfeits  the  right  to  his  own 
property  in  favor  of  the  Jews.” 

Bava  Kamay  fol.  38,  col.  1. 

Ptolemy,  the  king  (of  Egypt),  assembled  seventy-two 
elders  of  Israel  and  lodged  them  in  seventy-two  separate 
chambers,  but  did  not  tell  them  why  he  did  so.  Then  he 
visited  each  one  in  turn  and  said,  (<  Write  out  for  me  the 
law  of  Moses  your  Rabbi.  ”  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 
He! — went  and  counseled  the  minds  of  every  one  of  them, 
so  that  they  all  agreed,  and  wrote,  (<  God  created  in  the 
beginning,”  etc.  Megillah,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

The  Talmudic  story  of  the  origin  of  the  Septuagint  agrees  in  the  main 
with  the  account  of  Aristeas  and  Josephus,  but  Philo  gives  the  dif¬ 
ferent  version.  Many  of  the  Christian  fathers  believed  it  to  be  the 
work  of  inspiration. 

Abraham  was  as  tall  as  seventy-four  people  ;  what  he  ate 
and  drank  was  enough  to  satisfy  seventy-four  ordinary  men, 
and  his  strength  was  proportionate. 

Sophrim ,  chap.  21,  9. 

The  venerable  Hillel  had  eighty  disciples,  thirty  of  whom 
were  worthy  that  the  Shechinah  should  rest  upon  them,  as 
it  rested  upon  Moses  our  Rabbi  ;  and  thirty  of  them  were 
worthy  that  the  sun  should  stand  still  (for  them),  as  it 
did  for  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  ;  and  twenty  of  them  stood 
midway  in  worth.  The  greatest  of  all  of  them  was  Jona¬ 
than  ben  Uzziel,  and  the  least  of  all  was  Rabbi  Yochanan 
ben  Zacchai.  It  is  said  of  Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Zacchai 
that  he  did  not  leave  unstudied  the  Bible,  the  Mishna,  the 
Gemara,  the  constitutions,  the  legends,  the  minutiae  of  the 
law,  the  niceties  of  the  scribes,  the  arguments  h  fortiori 
and  from  similar  premises,  the  theory  of  the  change  of  the 
moon,  the  Gematria,  the  parable  of  the  unripe  grapes  and 


174 


THE  TALMUD 


the  foxes,  the  language  of  demons,  of  palm-trees,  and  of 
ministering  angels.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  134,  col.  1. 

A  male  criminal  is  to  be  hanged  with  his  face  toward 
the  people,  but  a  female  with  her  face  toward  the  gibbet. 
So  says  Rabbi  Eliezer ;  but  the  sages  say  the  man  only  is 
hanged,  not  the  woman.  Rabbi  Eliezer  retorted,  (<  Did  not 
Simeon  the  son  of  Shetach  hang  women  in  Askelon  ?  ”  To 
this  they  replied,  (( He  indeed  caused  eighty  women  to  be 
hanged,  though  two  criminals  are  not  to  be  condemned  in 
one  day.”  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  45,  col.  2. 

We  may  here  repeat  the  story  of  the  execution  of  the  eighty  women 
here  alluded  to,  as  that  is  told  by  Rashi  on  the  preceding  page  of  the 
Talmud.  Once  a  publican,  an  Israelite  but  a  sinner,  and  a  great  and 
good  man  of  the  same  place,  having  died  on  the  same  day,  were 
about  to  be  buried.  While  the  citizens  were  engaged  with  the  funeral 
of  the  latter,  the  relations  of  the  other  crossed  their  path,  bearing 
the  corpse  to  the  sepulchre.  Of  a  sudden  a  troop  of  enemies  came  upon 
the  scene  and  caused  them  all  to  take  to  flight,  one  faithful  disciple  alone 
remaining  by  the  bier  of  his  Rabbi.  After  a  while  the  citizens  returned 
to  inter  the  remains  they  had  so  unceremoniously  left,  but  by  some  mis¬ 
take  they  took  the  wrong  bier  and  buried  the  publican  with  honor,  in 
spite  of  the  remonstrance  of  the  disciple,  while  the  relatives  of  the  pub¬ 
lican  buried  the  Rabbi  ignominiously.  The  poor  disciple  felt  inconsol¬ 
ably  distressed,  and  was  anxious  to  know  for  what  sin  the  great  man  had 
been  buried  with  contempt,  and  for  what  merit  the  wicked  man  had 
been  buried  with  such  honor.  His  Rabbi  then  appeared  to  him  in  a 
dream,  and  said,  ((  Comfort  thou  thy  heart,  and  come  I  will  show  thee 
the  honor  I  hold  in  Paradise,  and  I  will  also  show  thee  that  man  in 
Gehenna,  the  hinge  of  the  door  of  which  even  now  creaks  in  his 
ears.*  But  because  once  on  a  time  I  listened  to  contemptuous  talk 
about  the  Rabbis  and  did  not  check  it,  I  have  suffered  an  ignoble 
burial,  while  the  publican  enjoyed  the  honor  that  was  intended  for 
me  because  he  once  distributed  gratuitously  among  the  poor  of  the  city 
a  banquet  he  had  prepared  for  the  governor,  but  of  which  the  governor 
did  not  come  to  partake. ®  The  disciple  having  asked  the  Rabbi  how 
long  this  publican  was  to  be  thus  severely  treated,  he  replied,  <(  Until 
the  death  of  Simeon  the  son  of  Shetach,  who  is  to  take  the  publican’s 
place  in  Gehenna. ®  <(Why  so  ? ®  <(  Because,  though  he  knows  there 

are  several  Jewish  witches  in  Askelon,  he  idly  suffers  them  to  ply 
their  infernal  trade  and  does  not  take  any  steps  to  extirpate  them.® 
On  the  morrow  the  disciple  reported  this  speech  to  Simeon  the  son  of 
Shetach,  who  at  once  proceeded  to  take  action  against  the  obnoxious 
witches.  He  engaged  eighty  stalwart  young  men,  and  choosing  a  rainy 

*  Which  were  formed  into  sockets  for  the  gates  of  hell  to  turn  in. 


THE  TALMUD 


175 


day,  supplied  each  with  an  extra  garment  folded  up  and  stowed  away 
in  an  earthern  vessel.  Thus  provided,  they  were  each  at  a  given  sig¬ 
nal  to  snatch  up  one  of  the  eighty  witches  and  carry  her  away,  a  task 
they  would  find  of  easy  execution,  as,  except  in  contact  with  the  earth, 
these  creatures  were  powerless.  Then  Simeon  the  son  of  Shetach, 
leaving  his  men  in  ambush,  entered  the  rendezvous  of  the  witches, 
who,  accosting  him,  asked,  (<  Who  art  thou  ? }>  He  replied,  (<  I  am  a 
wizard,  and  am  come  to  experiment  in  magic. <(What  trick  have 
you-  to  show  ? w  they  said.  He  answered,  <(  Even  though  the  day  is 
wet,  I  can  produce  eighty  young  men  all  in  dry  clothes. }>  They  smiled 
incredulously  and  said,  (<  Let  us  see  ! He  went  to  the  door,  and  at 
the  signal  the  young  men  took  the  dry  clothes  out  of  the  jars  and 
put  them  on,  then  starting  from  their  ambush,  they  rushed  into  the 
witches’  den,  and  each  seizing  one,  lifted  her  up  and  carried  her  off  as 
directed.  Thus  overpowered,  they  were  brought  before  the  court,  con¬ 
victed  of  malpractices  and  led  forth  to  execution. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  44,  col.  2. 

(Exod.  xxiii.  35),  <(  And  I  will  take  away  sickness  from 
tke  midst  of  thee.”  It  is  taught  that  sickness  (Machlah) 
means  the  bile.  But  why  is  it  termed  Machlah  ?  Because 
eighty-three  diseases  are  in  it.  Machlah  by  Gematria 
equals  eighty-three ;  and  all  may  be  avoided  by  an  early 
breakfast  of  bread  and  salt  and  a  bottle  of  water. 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  92,  col.  2. 

If  in  a  book  of  the  law  the  writing  is  obliterated  all  but 
eighty-five  letters  —  as,  for  instance,  in  Num.  x.  35,  36, 
<(  And  it  came  to  pass  when  the  ark  set  forward, ”  etc., — 
it  may  be  rescued  on  the  Sabbath  from  a  fire,  but  not 
otherwise.  Shabbath ,  fol.  116,  col.  1. 

Elijah  said  to  Rabbi  Judah  the  brother  of  Rav  Salla  the 
Pious,  <(  The  world  will  not  last  less  than  eighty-five  jubi¬ 
lees,  and  in  the  last  jubilee  the  son  of  David  will  come.” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  97,  col  2. 

There  was  not  a  single  individual  in  Israel  who  had  not 
ninety  Eybian  donkeys  laden  with  the  gold  and  silver  of 
Egypt. 

Bechoroth ,  fol.  5,  ccl.  2. 

(2  Sam.  xix.  35),  (<  Can  thy  servant  taste  what  I  eat  or 
what  I  drink  ?  ”  From  this  we  learn  that  in  the  aged  the 
sense  of  taste  is  destroyed.  .  .  .  Rav  says,  <(  Barzillai 
the  Gileadite  reports  falsely,  for  the  cook  at  the  house  of 


176 


THE  TALMUD 


Rabbi  (the  Holy)  was  ninety-two  years  old,  and  yet  could 
judge  by  taste  of  what  was  cooking  in  the  pot.” 

Shabbath ,  fol.  152,  col.  1. 

Rava  said,  (<  Life,  children,  and  competency  do  not  de¬ 
pend  on  one’s  merit,  but  on  luck ;  for  instance,  Rabbah 
and  Rav  Chasda  were  both  righteous  Rabbis ;  the  one 
prayed  for  rain  and  it  came,  and  the  other  did  so  likewise 
with  the  like  result ;  yet  Rav  Chasda  lived  ninety-two 
years  and  Rabbah  only  forty.  Rav  Chasda,  moreover,  had 
sixty  weddings  in  his  family  during  his  lifetime,  whereas 
Rabbah  had  sixty  serious  illnesses  in  his  during  the  short 
period  of  his  life.  At  the  house  of  the  former  even  the 
dogs  refused  to  eat  bread  made  of  the  finest  wheat  flour, 
whereas  the  family  of  the  latter  were  content  to  eat  rough 
bread  of  barley  and  could  not  always  obtain  it.”  Rava  also 
added,  <(  For  these  three  things  I  prayed  to  Heaven,  two 
of  which  were  and  one  was  not  granted  unto  me.  I  prayed 
for  the  wisdom  of  Rav  Hunna  and  for  the  riches  of  Rav 
Chasda,  and  both  these  were  granted  unto  me ;  but  the 
humility  and  meekness  of  Rabbah,  the  son  of  Rav  Hunna, 
for  which  I  also  prayed,  was  not  granted.” 

Moed  Katon ,  fol.  28,  col.  1. 

The  judges  who  issued  decrees  at  Jerusalem  received  for 
salary  ninety-nine  manahs  from  the  contributions  of  the 
chamber.  Kcthuboth ,  fol.  105,  col.  1. 

Ninety-nine  die  from  an  evil  eye  for  one  who  dies  in  the 
usual  manner.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  107,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  us  who  they  are  that  are  to  be 
accounted  rich.  <(  Every  one,”  says  Rabbi  Meir,  <(who  en¬ 
joys  his  riches.”  But  Rabbi  Tarphon  says,  <( Every  one 
who  has  a  hundred  vineyards  and  a  hundred  fields,  with  a 
hundred  slaves  to  labor  in  them.  ”  Rabbi  Akiva  pro¬ 
nounces  him  well  off  who  has  a  wife  that  is  becoming  in 
all  her  ways.  Shabbath ,  fol.  25,  col.  2. 

A  light  for  one  is  a  light  for  a  hundred. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  122,  col.  1. 

When  a  Gentile  lights  a  candle  or  a  lamp  on  the  Sabbath-eve  for 
his  own  use,  an  Israelite  is  permitted  to  avail  himself  of  its  light, 


THE  TALMUD 


1 77 


as  a  light  for  one  is  a  light  for  a  hundred ;  but  it  is  unlawful  for 
an  Israelite  to  order  a  Gentile  to  kindle  a  light  for  his  use. 

A  hundred  Rav  Papas  and  not  one  (like)  Ravina  ! 

A  hundred  zouzim  employed  in  commerce  will  allow  the 
merchant  meat  and  wine  at  his  table  daily,  but  a  hundred 
zouzim  employed  in  farming  will  allow  their  owner  only 
salt  and  vegetables.  Yevamoth ,  fol.  63,  col.  1. 

A  hundred  wTomen  are  equal  to  only  one  witness  (compare 
Deut.  xvii.  6  and  xix.  15).  Ibid. ,  fol.  88,  col.  2. 

If  song  should  cease,  a  hundred  geese  or  a  hundred 
measures  of  wheat  might  be  offered  for  one  zouz,  and  even 
then  the  buyer  would  refuse  paying  such  a  sum  for  them. 

Sotek,  fol.  48,  col.  1. 

Rav  says,  (<The  ear  that  often  listens  to  song  shall  be  rooted  out.** 
Music,  according  to  the  idea  here,  raises  the  price  of  provisions.  Do 
away  with  music  and  provisions  will  be  so  abundant  that  a  goose 
would  be  considered  dear  at  a  penny.  Theatres  and  music-halls  are 
abominations  to  orthodox  Jews,  and  the  Talmud  considers  the  voice 
of  a  woman  to  be  immoral. 

When  Rabbi  Zira  returned  to  the  land  of  Israel  he  fasted 
a  hundred  times  in  order  that  he  might  forget  the  Baby¬ 
lonian  Talmud.  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  85,  col.  1. 

This  passage,  as  also  that  on  another  page,  will  appear  sur¬ 
prising  to  many  a  reader,  as  we  confess  it  does  to  ourselves.  We  must, 
however,  give  the  Talmud  great  credit  for  recording  such  passages, 
and  also  the  custodians  of  the  Talmud  for  not  having  expunged  them 
from  its  pages. 

(<\e  shall  hear  the  small  as  well  as  the  great }>  (Deut. 
i.  17).  Resh  Lakish  said,  <(A  lawsuit  about  a  prutah  (the 
smallest  coin  there  is)  should  be  esteemed  of  as  much  ac¬ 
count  as  a  suit  of  a  hundred  manahs.  * 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

Rav  Yitzchak  asks,  <(  Why  was  Obadiah  accounted  worthy 

to  be  a  prophet  ? Because,  he  answers,  he  concealed  a 

hundred  prophets  in  a  cave;  as  it  is  said  (1  Kings  xviii. 

4).  (<  When  Jezebel  cut  off  the  prophets  of  the  Lord, 

Obadiah  took  a  hundred  prophets  and  hid  them  by  fifty  in 

a  cave.^  Why  by  fifties?  Rabbi  Kliezer  explains,  <(  He 

copied  the  plan  from  Jacob,  who  said,  (If  Esau  come  to 
12 


i78 


THE  TALMUD 


one  company  and  smite  it,  then  the  other  company  which 
is  left  may  escaped  ”  Rabbi  Abuhu  says,  <(  It  was  because 
the  caves  would  not  hold  any  more.” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  39,  col.  2. 

(<  And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things  that  God  did 
test  Abraham”  (Gen.  xxii.  1).  After  what  things?  Rabbi 
Yochanan,  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Yossi  ben  Zimra,  replies, 
<(  After  the  words  of  Satan,  who  said,  ( Eord  of  the  Uni¬ 
verse  !  Thou  didst  bestow  a  son  upon  that  old  man  when 
he  was  a  hundred  years  of  age,  and  yet  he  spared  not  a 
single  dove  from  the  festival  to  sacrifice  to  Thee.*  God 
replied,  (  Did  he  not  make  this  festival  for  the  sake  of  his 
son?  and  yet  I  know  he  would  not  refuse  to  sacrifice  that 
son  at  my  command^  To  prove  this,  God  did  put  Abra¬ 
ham  to  the  test,  saying  unto  him,  (Take  now  thy  son;* 
just  as  an  earthly  king  might  say  to  a  veteran  warrior  who 
had  conquered  in  many  a  hard-fought  battle,  (  Fight,  I  pray 
thee,  this  severest  battle  of  all,  lest  it  should  be  said  that 
thy  previous  encounters  were  mere  haphazard  skirmishes.* 
Thus  did  the  Holy  One — blessed  be  He  ! — address  Abra¬ 
ham,  ( I  have  tried  thee  in  various  ways,  and  not  in  vain 
either  ;  stand  this  test  also,  for  fear  it  should  be  insinuated 
that  the  former  trials  were  trivial  and  therefore  easily  over¬ 
come.  Take  thy  son.*  Abraham  replied,  (I  have  two 
sons.*  (Take  thine  only  son.*  Abraham  answered,  (  Each 
is  the  only  son  of  his  mother.*  (Take  him  whom  thou 
lovest.*  (I  love  both  of  them,*  said  Abraham.  (Take 
Isaac.*  Thus  Abraham’s  mind  was  gradually  prepared  for 
this  trial.  While  on  the  way  to  carry  out  this  Divine  com¬ 
mand  Satan  met  him,  and  (parodying  Job  iv.  2-5)  said, 

(  Why  ought  grievous  trials  to  be  inflicted  upon  thee  ?  Be¬ 
hold  thou  hast  instructed  many,  and  thou  hast  strengthened 
the  weak  hands.  Thy  words  have  supported  him  that  was 
falling,  and  now  this  sore  burden  is  laid  upon  thee.*  Ab¬ 
raham  answered  (anticipating  Ps.  xxvi.  11),  ( I  will  walk  in 
my  integrity.*  Then  said  Satan  (see  Job  iv.  6),  ( Is  not  the 
fear  (of  God)  thy  folly?  Remember,  I  pray  thee,  who 
ever  perished  being  innocent?*  Then  finding  that  he  could 
not  persuade  him,  he  said  (perverting  Job  iv.  12),  ( Now  a 
word  came  to  me  by  stealth.  I  overheard  it  behind  the 


THE  TALMUD 


179 


veil  (in  the  Holy  of  Holies  above).  A  lamb  will  be  the 
sacrifice,  and  not  Isaacs  Abraham  said,  ( It  is  the  just  de¬ 
sert  of  a  liar  not  to  be  believed  even  when  he  speaks  the 
truth.  >  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  89,  col.  2. 

It  is  better  to  have  ten  inches  to  stand  upon  than  a 
hundred  yards  to  fall.  Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  1. 

When  Israel  went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  worship  their 
Father  who  is  in  heaven,  they  sat  so  close  together  that  no 
one  could  insert  a  finger  between  them,  yet  when  they  had 
to  kneel  and  to  prostrate  themselves  there  was  room 
enough  for  them  all  to  do  so.  The  greatest  wonder  of  all 
was  that  even  when  a  hundred  prostrated  themselves  at 
the  same  time  there  was  no  need  for  the  governor  of  the 
synagogue  to  request  one  to  make  room  for  another. 

Ibid.,  chap.  35. 

A  man  is  bound  to  repeat  a  hundred  blessings  every  day. 

Menachoth ,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 

This  duty,  as  Rashi  tells  us,  is  based  upon  Deut.  x.  12,  altering  the 
word  what  into  a  hundred,  by  the  addition  of  a  letter. 

This  is  what  the  so-called  Pagan  Goethe,  intent  on  self-culture  as 
the  first  if  not  the  final  duty  of  man,  makes  Serlo  in  his  (<  Meister  » 
lay  down  as  a  rule  which  one  should  observe  daily.  ((One,))  he  says, 
<(  ought  every  day  to  hear  a  little  song,  read  a  good  poem,  see  a  fine 
picture,  and,  if  possible,  speak  a  few  reasonable  words. }>  The  contrast 
between  this  advice  and  that  of  the  Talmud  here  and  elsewhere  is 
suggestive  of  reflections. 

He  who  possesses  one  manah  may  buy,  in  addition  to 
his  bread,  a  litra  of  vegetables ;  the  owner  of  ten  manahs 
may  add  to  his  bread  a  litra  of  fish  ;  he  that  has  fifty 
manahs  may  add  a  litra  of  meat ;  while  the  possessor  of  a 
hundred  may  have  pottage  every  day. 

Chullin ,  fol.  84,  col.  1. 

Ben  Hey-Hey  said  to  Hillel,  <(  What  does  this  mean  that 
is  written  in  Mai.  iii.  18,  (  Then  shall  ye  return,  and  dis¬ 
cern  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  between  him 
that  serveth  God  and  him  that  serveth  Him  not y  ?  Does 
the  righteous  here  mean  him  that  serveth  God,  and  the 
wicked  him  that  serveth  Him  not  ?  Why  this  repetition  ? }> 
To  this  Hillel  replied,  <(  The  expressions,  (he  that  serveth 
God,  and  he  that  serveth  Him  not/  are  both  to  be  under- 


i8o 


THE  TALMUD 


stood  as  denoting  perfectly  righteous,*  but  he  who  repeats 
his  lesson  a  hundred  times  is  not  to  be  compared  with  one 
who  repeats  it  a  hundred  and  one  times.”  Then  said  Ben 
Hey-Hey,  <(  What  !  because  he  has  repeated  what  he  has 
learned  only  one  time  less  than  the  other,  is  he  to  be  con- 
considered  as  (one  who  serveth  Him  not  *  ?  ”  <(  Yes  !  ”  was 

the  reply  ;  (<  go  and  learn  a  lesson  from  the  published 
tariff  of  the  donkey-drivers  —  ten  miles  for  one  zouz,  eleven 
for  two.”  Chaggigah ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

Hillel  was  great  and  good  and  clever,  but  his  exposition  of  Scrip¬ 
ture,  as  we  see  from  the  above,  is  not  always  to  be  depended  upon. 
If,  indeed,  he  was  the  teacher  of  Jesus,  as  some  suppose  him  to  have 
been,  then  Jesus  must,  even  from  a  Rabbinical  stand-point,  be  re¬ 
garded  as  greater  than  Hillel  the  Great,  for  ‘He  never  handled  the 
Scriptures  with  such  irreverence. 

One  hundred  and  three  chapters  (or  psalms)  were  uttered 
by  David,  and  he  did  not  pronounce  the  word  Hallelujah 
until  he  came  to  contemplate  the  downfall  of  the  wicked ; 
as  it  is  written  (Ps.  civ.  35),  (( Let  the  sinners  be  con¬ 
sumed  out  of  the  earth,  and  let  the  wicked  be  no  more. 
Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  Hallelujah  !  ”  Instead  of  one 
hundred  and  three  we  ought  to  say  a  hundred  and  four, 
but  we  infer  from  this  that  <(  Blessed  is  the  man,”  etc.,  and 
<(  Why  do  the  heathen  rage?”  etc.,  are  but  one  psalm. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

One  of  the  most  charming  women  that  we  find  figuring  in  the 
Talmud  was  the  wife  of  Rabbi  Meir,  Beruriah  by  name  ;  and  as  we 
meet  with  her  in  the  immediate  context  of  the  above  quotation,  it 
may  be  well  to  introduce  her  here  to  the  attention  of  the  reader.  The 
context  speaks  of  a  set  of  ignorant  fellows  (probably  Greeks)  who 
sorely  vexed  the  soul  of  Rabbi  Meir,  her  husband,  and  he  ar¬ 
dently  prayed  God  to  take  them  away.  Then  Beruriah  reasoned 
with  her  husband  thus  :  — (( Is  it,  pray,  because  it  is  written  (Ps.  civ. 
35),  <Let  the  sinners  be  consumed It  is  not  written  ( sinners, ) 
but  ^sinsP  Besides,  a  little  farther  on  in  the'  text  it  is  said, 
( And  the  wicked  will  be  no  more  ;  >  that  is  to  say,  <  Let  sins  cease, 
and  the  wicked  wTill  cease  too.*  Pray,  therefore,  on  their  behalf  that 
they  may  be  led  to  repentance,  and  these  wicked  will  be  no  more.** 
This  he  therefore  did,  and  they  repented  and  ceased  to  vex  him.  Of 
this  excellent  and  humane  woman  it  may  well  be  said,  <(  She  open- 
eth  her  mouth  with  wisdom,  and  in  her  tongue  is  the  law  of  kind¬ 
ness w  (Prov.  xxxi.  26).  Her  end  was  tragic.  She  was  entrapped  by 


THE  TALMUD 


1 8 1 


a  disciple  of  her  husband,  and  out  of  shame  she  committed  suicide. 
See  particulars  by  Rashi  in  Avodah  Zarah,  fol.  18,  col.  2. 

The  Hasmoneans  ruled  over  Israel  during  the  time  of 
the  second  Temple  a  hundred  and  three  years  ;  and  for  a 
hundred  and  three  the  government  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
family  of  Herod.  Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  the  son  of  Zacchai  lived  a  hundred  and 
twenty  years ;  forty  he  devoted  to  commerce,  forty  to 
study,  and  forty  to  teaching. 

Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  30,  col.  2. 

One  hundred  and  twenty  elders,  and  among  them  several 
prophets,  bore  a  part  in  composing  the  Eighteen  Blessings 
(the  Shemonah  Esreh).  Meggillah ,  fol.  17,  col.  2. 

A  similar  tradition  was  current  among  the  early  Christians,  with 
reference  to  the  composition  of  the  Creed.  Its  different  sentences 
were  ascribed  to  different  apostles.  However  fitly  this  tradition  may 
represent  the  community  of  faith  with  which  the  prophets  on  the  one 
hand  and  the  apostles  on  the  other  were  inspired,  it  is  not  recom¬ 
mended  by  the  critic  as  a  proceeding  calculated  to  ensure  unity  in  a 
work  of  art. 

Rabbi  Shemuel  says  advantage  may  be  taken  of  the  mis¬ 
takes  of  a  Gentile.  He  once  bought  a  gold  plate  as  a 
copper  one  of  a  Gentile  for  four  zouzim,  and  then  cheated 
him  out  of  one  zouz  into  the  bargain.  Rav  Cahana  pur¬ 
chased  a  hundred  and  twenty  vessels  of  wine  from  a  Gen¬ 
tile  for  a  hundred  zouzim,  and  swindled  him  in  the  pay¬ 
ment  out  of  one  of  the  hundred,  and  that  while  the  Gentile 
assured  him  that  he  confidently  trusted  to  his  honesty. 
Rava  once  went  shares  with  a  Gentile  and  bought  a  tree, 
which  was  cut  up  into  logs.  This  done,  he  bade  his  serv¬ 
ant  go  to  pick  him  out  the  largest  logs,  but  to  be  sure  to 
take  no  more  than  the  proper  number,  because  the  Gentile 
knew  how  many  there  were.  As  Rav  Ashi  was  walking 
abroad  one  day  he  saw  some  grapes  growing  in  a  roadside 
vineyard,  and  sent  his  servant  to  see  whom  they  belonged 
to.  <(  If  they  belong  to  a  Gentile,0  he  said,  (<  bring  some 
here  to  me  ;  but  if  they  belong  to  an  Israelite,  do  not  med¬ 
dle  with  them.0  The  owner,  who  happened  to  be  in  the 
vineyard,  overheard  the  Rabbi’s  order  and  called  out, 
What !  is  it  lawful  to  rob  a  Gentile?0  <(  Oh,  no,0  said 


I&2 


THE  TALMUD 


the  Rabbi  evasively  ;  (<  a  Gentile  might  sell,  but  an  Israel¬ 
ite  would  not.”  Bava  Kama ,  fol.  113,  col.  2. 

This  is  given  simply  as  a  sample  of  the  teaching  of  the  Talmud 
on  the  subject  both  by  precept  and  example.  There  is  no  intention 
to  cast  a  slight  on  general  Jewish  integrity,  or  suggest  distrust  in 
regard  to  their  ethical  creed. 

Rabbon  Gamliel,  Rabbi  EHezer  ben  Azaryah,  Rabbi 
Yehoshua,  and  Rabbi  Akiva  once  went  on  a  journey  to 
Rome,  and  at  Puteoli  they  already  heard  the  noisy  din  of 
the  city,  though  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  twenty 

miles.  At  the  sound  all  shed  tears  except  Akiva,  who 
began  to  laugh.  <(  Why  laughest  thou  ?  ”  they  asked. 

<(  Why  do  you  cry  ?  ”  he  retorted.  They  answered,  <(  These 
Romans,  who  worship  idols  of  wood  and  stone  and  offer 
incense  to  stars  and  planets,  abide  in  peace  and  quietness, 
while  our  Temple,  which  was  the  footstool  of  our  God,  is 
consumed  by  fire  ;  how  can  we  help  weeping  ?  ”  <(  That  is 

just  the  very  reason,”  said  he,  <(  why  I  rejoice;  for  if  such 

be  the  lot  of  those  who  transgress  His  laws,  what  shall  the 
dot  of  those  be  who  observe  and  do  them  ?  ” 

Maccoth ,  fol.  24,  col.  2. 

When  Adam  observed  that  his  sin  was  the  cause  of  the 
decree  which  made  death  universal  he  fasted  one  hundred 
and  thirty  years,  abstained  all  that  space  from  intercourse 
with  his  wife,  and  wore  girdles  of  fig-leaves  round  his 
loins.  All  these  years  he  lived  under  divine  displeasure, 
and  begat  devils,  demons,  and  spectres  ;  as  it  is  said 
(Gen.  v.  3),  (<  And  Adam  lived  a  hundred  and  thirty 

years,  and  begat  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his  image,” 
which  implies  that,  until  the  close  of  those  years,  his  off¬ 
spring  were  not  after  his  own  image. 

Eiruvin,  fol.  18,  col.  2. 

There  is  a  tradition  that  there  was  once  a  disciple  in 
Yabneh  who  gave  a  hundred  and  fifty  reasons  to  prove  a 
reptile  to  be  clean  (which  the  Scripture  regards  as  un¬ 
clean. — Compare  Rev.  xi.  29).  Ibid .,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

The  ablutionary  tank  made  by  Solomon  was  as  large  as 
a  hundred  and  fifty  lavatories.  Ibid.y  fol.  14,  col.  1. 


THE  TALMUD 


183 


A  hundred  and  eighty  years  before  the  destruction  of 
the  Temple,  the  empire  of  idolatry  (Rome)  began  the  con¬ 
quest  of  Israel.  Shabbath ,  fol.  15,  col.  1. 

The  empire  of  Rome  was,  some  think,  so  designated,  because  it 
strove  with  all  its  might  to  drag  down  the  worship  of  God  to  the 
worship  of  man,  and  resolve  the  cause  of  God  into  the  cause  of  the 
Empire. 

During  the  time  of  the  second  Temple  Persia  domineered 
over  Israel  for  thirty-four  years  and  the  Greeks  held  sway 
a  hundred  and  eighty.  Avodah  Zarah,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

Foolish  saints,  crafty  villains,  sanctimonious  women,  and 
self-afflicting  Pharisees  are  the  destroyers  of  the  world. 
What  is  it  to  be  a  foolish  saint?  To  see  a  woman  drown¬ 
ing  in  the  river  and  refrain  from  trying  to  save  her  because 
of  the  look  of  the  thing.  Who  is  to  be  regarded  as  a 
crafty  villain?  Rabbi  Yochanan  says,  <(  He  who  prejudices 
the  magistrates  by  prepossessing  them  in  favor  of  his  cause 
before  his  opponent  has  had  time  to  make  his  appearance.  ® 
Rabbi  Abhu  says,  <(  He  who  gives  a  denarius  to  a  poor 
man  to  make  up  for  him  the  sum  total  of  two  hundred 
zouzim  ;  for  it  is  enacted  that  he  who  possesses  two  hun¬ 
dred  zouzim  is  not  entitled  to  receive  any  gleanings,  neither 
what  is  forgotten  in  the  field,  nor  what  is  left  in  the  corner 
of  it  (see  Lev.  xxiii.  22),  nor  poor  relief  either.  But  if 
he  is  only  one  short  of  the  two  hundred  zouzim,  and  a 
thousand  people  give  anything  to  him,  he  is  still  entitled 
to  the  poor  man’s  perquisites. }>  Soteh ,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

The  cup  of  David  in  the  world  to  come  will  contain  two 
hundred  and  twenty-one  logs;  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  xxiii.  5), 
<(  My  cup  runneth  over,**  the  numerical  value  of  the  Hebrew 
word,  (<  runneth  over,)}  being  two  hundred  and  twenty-one. 

Yoma,  fol.  76,  col.  1. 

In  the  world  to  come  the  Holy  One  will  make  a  grand  banquet 
for  the  righteous  from  the  flesh  of  the  leviathan.  Bava  Bathra ,  fol. 
75,  col.  1.  (See  the  Morning  Service  for  the  middle  days  of  the 
Feast  of  Tabernacles.)  God  will  make  a  banquet  for  the  righteous  on 
the  day  when  He  shows  His  mercy  to  the  posterity  of  Isaac.  After 
the  meal  the  cup  of  blessing  will  be  handed  to  Abraham,  in  order 
that  he  may  pronounce  the  blessing,  but  he  will  plead  excuse  because 
he  begat  Ishmael.  Then  Isaac  will  be  told  to  take  the  cup  and  speak 


1 84 


THE  TALMUD 


the  benediction  of  grace,  but  he  also  will  plead  his  unworthiness  be¬ 
cause  he  begat  Esau.  Next  Jacob  also  will  refuse  because  he  married 
two  sisters.  Then  Moses,  on  the  ground  that  he  was  unworthy  to 
enter  the  land  of  promise,  or  even  to  be  buried  in  it ;  and  finally 
Joshua  will  plead  unworthiness  because  he  had  no  son.  David  will 
then  be  called  upon  to  take  the  cup  and  bless,  and  he  will  respond, 
<(Yea,  I  will  bless,  for  I  am  worthy  to  bless,  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  cxvi. 
13),  (I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the 
Lord.'®  P’sachim,  fol.  119,  col.  2.  This  cup,  as  we  are  told  above, 
will  contain  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  logs  (which  the  Rabbis  tell 
us,  is  the  twenty-fourth  part  of  a  seah,  therefore  this  cup  will  hold 
rather  more  than  one-third  of  a  hogshead  of  wine). 

Beruriah  once  found  a  certain  disciple  who  studied  in 
silence.  As  soon  as  she  saw  him  she  spurned  him  and 
said,  <(  Is  it  not  thus  written  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  5),  ( Ordered 
in  all  and  sure  >  ?  If  ordered  with  all  the  two  hundred  and 
forty-eight  members  of  thy  body,  it  will  be  sure  ;  if  not,  it 
will  not  be  sure.”  It  is  recorded  that  Rabbi  Eliezer  had  a 
disciple  who  also  studied  in  silence,  but  that  after  three 
years  he  forgot  all  that  he  had  learned. 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  53,  col.  2,  and  fol.  54,  col.  1. 

In  continuation  of  the  above  we  read  that  Shemuel  said  to  Rav 
Yehudah,  <( Shrewd  fellow,  open  thy  mouth  when  thou  readest,  etc., 
so  that  thy  reading  may  remain  and  thy  life  may  be  lengthened  ;  as 
it  is  written  in  Prov.  iv.  22,  ( For  they  are  life  unto  those  that  find 
them ; >  read  not,  (that  find  them,*  but  read,  (that  bring  them  forth 
by  the  mouth, >  i.  e.,  that  read  them  aloud. w  It  was  and  is  still  a 
common  custom  in  the  East  to  study  aloud. 

As  an  anathema  enters  all  the  two  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  members  of  the  body,  so  does  it  issue  from  them  all. 
Of  the  entering-in  of  the  anathema  it  is  written  (Josh.  vi. 
17),  <(  And  the  city  shall  be  accursed  ;  ”  by  Gematria  amount¬ 
ing  to  two  hundred  and  forty-eight.  Of  the  coming-out  of 
the  anathema  it  is  written  (Hab.  iii.  2),  (<  In  wrath  remem¬ 
ber  mercy  ;  ”  a  transposition  of  the  letters  of  the  word  for 
accursed,  also  amounting  by  Gematria  to  two  hundred  and 
forty-eight.  Rabbi  Joseph  says,  (<  Hang  an  anathema  on 
the  tail  of  a  dog  and  he  will  still  go  on  doing  mischief.” 

Moed  Katon ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

The  human  body  has  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  mem¬ 
bers  : —  Thirty  in  the  foot  —  that  is,  six  in  each  toe  —  ten 
in  the  ankle,  two  in  the  thigh,  five  in  the  knee,  one  in  the 


THE  TALMUD 


185 


hip,  three  in  the  hip-ball,  eleven  ribs,  thirty  in  the  hand  — 
that  is,  six  in  each  finger  —  two  in  the  fore-arm,  two  in  the 
elbow,  one  in  the  upper  arm,  four  in  the  shoulder.  Thus 
we  have  one  hundred  and  one  on  each  side  ;  to  this  add 
eighteen  vertebrae  in  the  spine,  nine  in  the  head,  eight  in 
the  neck,  six  in  the  chest,  and  five  in  the  loins. 

Oholoth ,  chap.  1,  mish.  8. 

See  also  Eiruvin,  fol.  53,  col.  2,  and  the  Musaph  for  the  second 
day  of  Pentecost.  In  the  Musaph  for  the  New  Year  there  is  a  prayer 
that  runs  thus,  <(Oh,  deign  to  hear  the  voice  of  those  who  glorify 
Thee  with  all  their  members,  according  to  the  number  of  the  two 
hundred  and  forty-eight  affirmative  precepts.  In  this  month  they 
blow  thirty  sounds,  according  to  the  thirty  members  of  the  soles  of 
their  feet  ;  the  additional  offerings  of  the  day  are  ten,  according  to 
the  ten  in  their  ankles  ;  they  approach  the  altar  twice,  according  to 
their  two  legs ;  five  are  called  to  the  law,  according  to  the  five 
joints  in  their  knees  ;  they  observe  the  appointed  time  to  sound 
the  cornet  on  the  first  day  of  the  month,  according  to  the  one 
in  their  thigh  ;  they  sound  the  horn  thrice,  according  to  the  three  in 
their  hips  ;  lo !  with  the  additional  offering  of  the  new  moon  they  are 
eleven,  according  to  their  eleven  ribs  ;  they  pour  out  the  supplication 
with  nine  blessings,  according  to  the  muscles  in  their  arms,  and  which 
contain  thirty  verses,  according  to  the  thirty  in  the  palms  of  their 
hands ;  they  daily  repeat  the  prayer  of  eighteen  blessings,  according 
to  the  eighteen  vertebra  in  the  spine ;  at  the  offering  of  the  con¬ 
tinual  sacrifice  they  sound  nine  times,  according  to  the  nine  muscles 
in  their  head,?)  etc.,  etc. 

It  is  related  of  Rabbi  Ishmael’s  disciples  that  they  dis¬ 
sected  a  low  woman  who  had  been  condemned  by  the  Gov¬ 
ernment  to  be  burned,  and  upon  examination  they  found  that 
her  body  contained  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  members. 

Bechoroth ,  fol.  45,  col.  1. 

The  regular  period  of  gestation  is  either  two  hundred 
and  seventy-one,  two  hundred  and  seventy-two,  or  two 
hundred  and  seventy-three  days.  Niddah,  fol.  38,  col.  1. 

Revere  the  memory  of  Chananiah  ben  Chiskiyah,  for  had 
it  not  been  for  him  the  Book  of  Ezekiel  would  have  been 
suppressed,  because  of  the  contradictions  it  offers  to  the 
words  of  the  law.  By  the  help  of  three  hundred  bottles  of 
oil,  which  were  brought  up  into  an  upper  chamber,  he  pro¬ 
longed  his  lucubrations,  till  he  succeeded  in  reconciling  all 
the  discrepancies.  Shabbath,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 


1 86 


THE  TALMUD 


It  is  related  of  Johanan,  the  son  of  Narbai,  that  he 
used  to  eat  three  hundred  calves,  and  to  drink  three  hundred 
bottles  of  wine,  and  to  consume  forty  measures  of  young 
pigeons  by  way  of  dessert.  (Rashi  says  this  was  because 
he  had  to  train  many  priests  in  his  house.) 

P’ sachim,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

The  keys  of  the  treasury  of  Korah  were  so  many  that  it 
required  three  hundred  white  mules  to  carry  them.  These, 
with  the  locks,  were  said  to  be  made  of  white  leather. 

Ibid.,  fol.  1 1 9,  col.  1. 

The  Midrash  repeats  the  same  story,  and  adds,  <(His  wealth  was 
his  ruin.^  <(  He  is  as  rich  as  Korah  is  now  a  Jewish  proverb. 

Rav  Chiya,  the  son  of  Adda,  was  tutor  to  the  children 
of  Resh  Rakish,  and  once  absented  himself  from  his  duties 
for  three  days.  On  his  return  he  was  questioned  as  to  the 
reason  of  his  conduct,  and  he  gave  the  following  reply : 
<(  My  father  bequeathed  to  me  a  vine,  trained  on  high 
trellis-work  as  a  bower,  from  which  I  gathered  the  first  day 
three  hundred  bunches,  each  of  which  yielded  a  gerav  of 
wine  (a  gerav  is  a  measure  containing  as  much  as  288  egg¬ 
shells  would  contain).  On  the  second  day  I  again  gathered 
three  hundred  bunches  of  smaller  size,  two  only  producing 
one  gerav  (one  bunch  yielding  the  quantity  of  wine  144 
egg-shells  would  contain).  The  third  day  I  also  gathered 
three  hundred  bunches,  but  only  three  bunches  to  the 
gerav,  and  have  yet  left  more  than  half  of  the  grapes  free 
for  any  one  to  gather  them.”  Thereupon  Resh  Rakish  ob¬ 
served  to  him,  <(  If  thou  hadst  not  been  so  negligent  (los¬ 
ing  time  in  the  instruction  of  my  children),  it  would  have 
yielded  still  more.”  Kethuboth ,  fol.  111,  col.  2. 

There  were  three  hundred  species  of  male  demons  in  Si- 
chin,  but  what  the  female  demon  herself  was  like  is  known 
to  no  one.  Gitiin,  fol.  68,  col.  1. 

<(  Now,  when  Job’s  three  friends  heard  of  all  this  evil 
that  was  come  upon  him,  they  came  each  from  his  own 
place  ;  Eliphaz  the  Temanite,  Bildah  the  Shuhite,  and  Zo- 
phar  the  Naamathite  :  for  they  had  made  an  appointment 
together  to  come  and  mourn  with  him,  and  to  comfort 
him”  (Job  ii.  11).  What  is  meant  when  it  is  said,  “They 


THE  TALMUD 


187 


had  made  an  appointment  together  w  ?  Rab.  Yehudah  says 
in  the  name  of  Rav,  <(  This  is  to  teach  that  they  all  came 
in  by  one  gate.”  But  there  is  a  tradition  that  each  lived 
three  hundred  miles  away  from  the  other.  How  then  came 
they  to  know  of  Job’s  sad  condition  ?  Some  say  they  had 
wreaths,  others  say  trees  (each  representing  an  absent 
friend),  and  when  any  friend  was  in  distress  the  one  repre¬ 
senting  him  straightway  began  to  wither.  Rava  said, 
(<  Hence  the  proverb,  (  Either  a  friend  as  the  friends  of  Job, 
or  deaths  ®  Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  16,  col.  2. 

Rashi  tenders  this  explanation,  that  Job  and  his  friends  had  each 
wreaths  with  their  names  engraved  on  them,  and  if  affliction  befell 
any  one  his  name  upon  the  wreath  would  change  color. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  says  that  Rabbi  Meir  knew  three  hun¬ 
dred  fables  about  foxes,  but  we  have  only  three  of  them, 
viz,  <(  The  fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  chil¬ 
dren’s  teeth  are  set  on  edge  (Ezek.  xviii.  2)  ;  <(Just  bal¬ 
ances  and  just  weights  (Lev.  xix.  36)  ;  <(The  righteous  is 
delivered  out  of  trouble,  and  the  wicked  cometh  in  his 
stead  ®  (Prov.  xi.  8). 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  38,  col.  2,  and  fol.  39,  col.  1. 

Quite  apropos  to  this  we  glean  the  following  from  Rashi:  —  A  fox 
once  induced  a  wolf  to  enter  a  Jewish  dwelling  to  help  the  in¬ 
mates  to  get  ready  the  Sabbath  meal.  No  sooner  did  he  enter 
than  the  whole  household  set  upon  him,  and  so  belabored  him 
with  cudgels  that  he  was  obliged  to  flee  for  his  life.  For  this  trick 
the  wolf  was  indignant  at  the  fox,  and  sought  to  kill  him,  but  he 
pacified  him  with  the  remark,  (<  They  would  not  have  beaten  thee  if 
thy  father  had  not  on  a  former  occasion  belied  confidence,  and  eaten 
up  the  choicest  pieces  that  were  set  aside  for  the  mealA  ^WhatU* 
rejoined  the  wolf,  <(the  fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  shall  the 
children’s  teeth  be  set  on  edge?^  ^Well,®  interrupted  the  fox, 
<(  come  with  me  now  and  I  will  show  thee  a  place  where  thou  mayest 
eat  and  be  satisfied. })  He  thereupon  took  him  to  a  well,  across  the 
top  of  which  rested  a  transverse  axle  with  a  rope  coiled  round  it,  to 
each  extremity  of  which  a  bucket  was  attached.  The  fox,  entering 
the  bucket,  which  happened  to  be  at  the  top,  soon  descended  by  his 
own  weight  to  the  bottom  of  the  well,  and  thereby  raised  the  other 
bucket  to  the  top.  On  the  wolf  inquiring  at  the  fox  why  he  had 
gone  down  there,  he  replied,  because  he  knew  there  was  meat  and 
cheese  to  eat  and  be  satisfied,  in  proof  of  which  he  pointed  to  a 
cheese,  which  happened  to  be  the  reflection  of  the  moon  on  the 
water.  Upon  which  the  wolf  inquired,  <(  And  how  am  I  to  get  down 


1 88 


THE  TALMUD 


beside  you  ? }>  The  fox  replied,  <(  By  getting  into  the  bucket  at  the 
top.w  He  did  as  directed,  and  as  He  descended  the  bucket  with  the 
fox  rose  to  the  top.  The  wolf  in  this  plight  again  appealed  to  the  fox. 
«  But  how  am  I  to  get  out?**  The  reply  was,  (<The  righteous  is  de¬ 
livered  out  of  trouble,  and  the  wicked  cometh  in  his  stead  ; })  and 
is  it  not  written,  <(  Just  balances  just  weights  ?» 

When  Rabbi  Eliezer,  on  his  deathbed,  taught  Rabbi  Akiva 
three  hundred  particulars  to  be  observed  in  regard  to  the 
white  spot  covered  with  hair  which  was  the  sign  of  lep¬ 
rosy,  the  former  lifted  up  his  arms  and  placed  them  on  his 
chest  and  exclaimed,  (<  Woe  is  me,  because  of  these  my  two 
arms,  these  two  scrolls  of  the  law,  that  are  about  to  depart 
from  this  world  ;  for  if  all  the  seas  were  ink,  and  all  the  reeds 
were  quills,  and  all  the  men  were  scribes,  they  could  not 
record  all  I  have  learned  and  all  I  have  taught,  and  how 
much  I  have  heard  at  the  lips  of  sages  in  the  schools. 
And  what  is  more,  I  also  taught  three  hundred  laws  based 
on  the  text,  (  A  witch  shall  not  live. > )} 

Avoth  d'Rab.  Natha7iy  chap.  25. 

This  truly  Oriental  exaggeration,  which  Rabbi  Eliezer  ben  Azariah 
so  complacently  applies  to  himself,  was  spoken  also  of  Rabbi  Yoch- 
anan  before  him  (Bereshitli  Rabba)  ;  an  acrostic  poem  in  the  Morning 
Service  for  Pentecost  adopts  the  same  hyperbole  almost  word  for  word, 
and  turns  it  to  very  pious  account.  It  is  interesting  to  note  how 
contemporary  sacred  literature  abounds  in  similar  hyperbolic  expres¬ 
sions.  In  John  xxi  25  it  is  said,  (<  There  are  also  many  other  things 
which  Jesus  did,  the  which,  if  they  should  be  written  every  one,  I 
suppose  that  even  the  world  itself  could  not  contain  the  books  that 
should  be  written. Cicero,  too,  speaks  of  a  glory  of  such  a  weight 
that  even  heaven  itself  is  scarcely  able  to  contain  it ;  and  Livy,  on  one 
occasion,  describes  the  power  of  Rome  as  with  difficulty  restrained  within 
the  limits  of  the  world. 

Here  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  if  we  introduce  a  few  of  the  many 
passages  in  the  Talmud  that  treat  of  enchantment  and  witchcraft,  as 
well  as  magic,  charms,  and  omens.  The  list  of  quotations  might  be 
extended  to  a  hundred,  but  we  must  confine  ourselves  to  a  score  or  so. 

The  daughters  of  Israel  burn  incense  for  (purposes  of) 
sorcery.  Berachoth ,  fol.  53,  col.  1. 

Ben  Azai  (son  of  impudence),  says,  <(  .  .  .  he  who 

seats  himself  and  then  feels  .  .  .  (which  must  not  be 

explained),  the  effects  of  witchcraft,  even  when  practiced  in 
Spain,  will  come  upon  him.  What  is  the  remedy  when  one 


THE  TALMUD 


189 


forgets  and  first  sits  down  and  then  feels?  .  .  .  When 

he  rises  let  him  say,  (  Not  these  and  not  of  these  ;  not  the 
witchcraft  of  sorcerers  and  not  the  sorcery  of  witches. >>> 

Berachoth ,  fol.  62,  col.  1. 

The  daughters  of  Israel  in  later  generations  lapsed  into 
the  practice  of  witchcraft.  Eiruvin  fol.  64,  col.  2. 

Ameimar  says,  <(  The  superior  of  the  witches  told  me  that 
when  a  person  meets  any  of  them  he  should  mutter  thus, 
( May  a  potsherd  of  boiling  dung  be  stuffed  into  your 
mouths,  you  ugly  witches  !  may  the  hair  with  which  you 
perform  your  sorcery  be  torn  from  your  heads,  so  that 
ye  become  bald.  May  the  wind  scatter  the  crumbs  where¬ 
with  ye  do  your  divinations.  May  your  spices  be  scattered 
and  may  the  wind  blow  away  the  saffron  you  hold  in  your 
hands  for  the  practicing  of  sorcery. ^ 

P’’ sachim ,  fol.  no,  cols.  1,  2. 

Yohanna,  the  daughter  of  Ratibi,  was  a  widow,  who  be¬ 
witched  women  in  their  confinement. 

See  Rashi  on  Soteh ,  fol.  22,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Gamliel,  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Ye- 
hoshua,  says,  <(  Since  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  a  day 
has  not  passed  without  a  curse  ;  the  dew  does  not  come 
down  with  a  blessing,  and  the  fruits  have  lost  their  proper 
taste.  )y  Rabbi  Yossi  adds,  <(  Also  the  lusciousness  of  the  fruit 
is  gone.  ®  Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Elazar  says,  <(  With  the  decay  of 
purity  the  taste  and  aroma  (of  the  fruit)  has  disappeared, 
and  with  the  tithes  and  richness  of  the  corn.”  The  sages 
say,  <(  Eewdness  and  witchcraft  ruin  every  thing. w 

Soteh ,  fol.  48,  col.  1. 

A  certain  magician  used  to  strip  the  dead  of  their  shrouds. 
Once  when  he  came  to  the  tomb  of  Rav  Tovi  bar  Mathna 
he  was  seized  and  held  fast  by  the  beard,  but  Abaii  having 
interceded  on  behalf  of  his  friend,  the  grip  was  let  go  and 
he  was  set  at  liberty.  Next  year  he  came  again  on  the  same 
errand,  and  again  he  was  seized  by  the  beard.  This  time 
Abaii’ s  intercession  was  of  no  avail,  and  he  was  not  liber¬ 
ated  until  they  brought  a  pair  of  scissors  and  cut  off  his 
beard.  Bava  Bathra,  fol.  58,  col.  1 


190 


THE  TALMUD 


None  were  allowed  to  sit  in  the  Sanhedrin  unless  they 
had  a  knowledge  of  magic.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Shimon  said,  (<  An  enchanter  is  one  who  passeth 
the  exudation  of  seven  different  sorts  of  male  creatures  over 
the  eye.”  The  sages  say  he  is  one  who  practices  and  palms 
off  optical  illusions.  Rabbi  Akiva  says,  (<  He  is  one  who  cal¬ 
culates  times  and  hours,  and  says  To-day  is  good  to  start 
on  a  journey,  To-morrow  will  be  a  lucky  day  for  selling, 
The  year  before  the  Sabbatical  year  is  generally  good  for 
growing  wheat,  The  pulling  up  of  pease  will  preserve  them 
from  being  spoiled.”  According  to  the  Rabbis,  <(  An  en¬ 
chanter  is  he  who  augurs  ill  when  his  bread  drops  from  his 
mouth,  or  if  he  drops  the  stick  that  supports  him  from 
his  hand,  or  if  his  son  calls  after  him,  or  a  crow  cawrs 
in  his  hearing,  or  a  deer  crosses  his  path,  or  he  sees  a  ser¬ 
pent  at  his  right  hand  or  a  fox  on  his  left,  or  if  he  says 
to  the  tax-gatherer,  (  Do  not  begin  with  me  the  first  in  the 
morning  *  ;  or,  ( It  is  the  first  of  the  month  )  ;  or,  ( It  is  the 
exit  of  the  Sabbath,  *  i.  e.y  the  commencement  of  a  new  week.” 

Ibid. ,  fol.  65,  col.-  2. 

<(  By  the  term  witch,”  the  Rabbis  say,  ((we  are  to  under¬ 
stand  either  male  or  female.”  <(  If  so,”  it  is  asked,  <(  why 
the  term  ( witch, )  in  Exod.  xxii.  18,  in  the  Hebrew  verse 
17,  is  in  the  feminine  gender?”  <(  Because,”  it  is  answered, 
(<  most  women  are  witches.”  Ibid.y  fol.  67,  col.  1. 

If  the  proud  (in  Israel)  were  to  cease,  the  magicians 
would  also  cease;  as  it  is  written  (Isa.  i.  25),  <(  I  will 
purge  away  thy  dross  and  take  away  all  thy  tin.” 

Ibid.}  fol.  98,  col.  1. 

Among  those  who  have  no  portion  in  the  world  to  come 
is  he  who  read.'  the  books  of  the  strangers,  foreign  books, 
books  of  outsiders.  See  also  Sanhedrin,  fol.  90,  col.  1. 
Now  Rav  Yoseph  says,  <(  It  is  unlawful  to  read  the  Book 
of  the  Son  of  Sirach,  .  .  .  because  it  is  written  therein 
(Ecclesiasticus  xlii.  9,  etc.,  as  quoted,  or  rather  misquoted, 
in  the  Talmud),  <A  daughter  is  a  false  treasure  to  her 
father  :  because  of  anxiety  for  her  he  cannot  sleep  at  night ; 
when  she  is  young,  for  fear  she  should  be  seduced  ;  in  her 
virginity  lest  she  play  the  harlot ;  in  her  marriageable  age, 


THE  TALMUD 


191 

lest  she  should  not  get  married ;  and  when  married,  lest 
she  should  be  childless  ;  and  when  grown  old,  lest  she  prac¬ 
tice  witchcraft. )  ”  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  100,  col.  2. 

He  who  multiplieth  wives  multiplieth  witchcraft. 

Avotk ,  chap.  2. 

Most  donkey-drivers  are  wicked,  but  most  sailors  are 
pious.  The  best  physicians  are  destined  for  hell,  the  most 
upright  butcher  is  a  partner  of  Amalek.  Bastards  are 
mostly  cunning,  and  servants  mostly  handsome.  Those 
who  are  well-descended  are  bashful,  and  children  mostly 
resemble  their  mother’s  brother.  Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai 
bids  us  <(  kill  the  best  of  Gentiles  ”  (modern  editions  qualify 
this  by  adding,  in  time  of  war),  ((and  smash  the  head  of 
the  best  of  serpents.”  <(The  best  among  women,”  he  says, 
<(  is  a  witch.”  Blessed  is  he  who  does  the  will  of  God  ! 

Sophrim ,  chap.  15,  hal.  10. 

On  the  Sabbath  one  may  carry  a  grasshopper’s  egg  as  a 
charm  against  earache,  the  tooth  of  a  living  fox  to  promote 
sleep,  the  tooth  of  a  dead  fox  to  prevent  sleep,  and  the 
nail  of  one  crucified  (as  a  remedy)  for  inflammation  or 
swelling.  For  cutaneous  disorders  he  is  to  repeat  Baz 
Baziah,  Mass  Massiah,  Cass  Cassiah,  Sharlaii,  and  Amarlaii 
(names  of  angels),  etc.  .  .  .  As  the  mules  do  not  in¬ 

crease  and  multiply,  so  may  the  skin  disease  not  increase 
and  spread  upon  the  body  of  N.,  the  son  of  the  woman  N., 
etc.  Shabbath ,  fol.  67,  col.  1. 

(<  For  night-blindness,  let  a  man  take  a  hair-rope  and 
bind  one  end  of  it  to  his  own  leg  and  the  other  to  a  dog’s, 
then  let  children  clatter  a  potsherd  after  him,  and  call  out, 
(  Old  man  !  dog  !  fool  !  cock  ! >  Let  him  now  collect  seven 
pieces  of  meat  from  seven  (different)  houses ;  let  him  set 
them  on  the  cross-bar  of  the  threshold,  then  let  him  eat 
them  on  the  town  middens  ;  and  after  that  let  him  undo 
the  hair-rope,  then  let  him  say  thus :  ( Blindness  of  So- 
and-so,  son  of  Mrs.  So-and-so,  leave  So-and-so,  son  of  Mrs. 
So-and-so,  and  be  brushed  into  the  pupil  of  the  eye  of  the 
dog.*”  (Quoted  from  (<  The  Fragment,”  by  Rev.  W.  H. 
Lowe  of  Cambridge.)  Gittiny  fol.  69,  col.  1. 


192 


THE  TALMUD 


According  to  the  Rabbis,  a  man  should  not  drink  water 
by  night,  for  thus  he  exposes  himself  to  the  power  of 
Shavriri,  the  demon  of  blindness.  What  then  should  he  do 
if  he  is  thirsty?  If  there  be  another  man  with  him,  let 
him  rouse  him  up  and  say,  <(  I  am  thirsty  ;  ”  but  if  he  be 
alone,  let  him  tap  upon  the  lid  of  the  jug  (to  make  the 
demon  fancy  there’s  some  one  with  him),  and  addressing 
himself  by  his  own  name  and  the  name  of  his  mother,  let 
him  say,  <(  Thy  mother  has  bid  thee  beware  of  Shavriri,  vriri, 
riri,  iri,  ri,”  in  a  white  cup.  Rashi  says  by  this  incanta¬ 
tion  the  demon  gradually  contracts  and  vanishes  as  the 
sounds  of  the  word  Shavriri  decrease. 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  12,  col.  2. 

A  python  is  a  familiar  spirit  who  speaks  from  his  arm- 
pits  ;  a  wizard  is  one  who  speaks  with  the  mouth.  As  the 
Rabbis  have  taught,  a  familiar  spirit  is  one  who  speaks 
from  his  joints  and  his  wrists ;  a  wizard  is  one  w7ho,  put¬ 
ting  a  certain  bone  into  his  mouth,  causes  it  to  speak. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  65,  cols.  1,  2. 

He  who  says  to  a  raven  ((  Croak, ”  and  to  a  hen  raven, 
<(  Droop  thy  tail  and  turn  it  this  way  as  a  lucky  sign,”  is 
an  imitator  of  the  ways  of  the  Amorites  (Lev.  xviii.  3). 

Shah  hath,  fol.  67,  col.  2. 

Women  going  out  on  the  Sabbath-day  are  allowed,  as 
the  Rabbis  teach,  to  carry  with  them  a  certain  stone  be¬ 
lieved  to  counteract  abortion. 

Abaii  interrupts  his  exposition  of  this  Halachah  in  order 
to  enumerate  certain  antidotes  to  chronic  fever  which,  he 
says,  he  had  learned  from  his  mother.  Take  a  new  zouz 
and  then  procure  its  weight  in  sea-salt ;  hang  this  round 
the  neck,  suspended  by  a  papyrus  fibre,  so  that  it  may 
rest  just  in  the  hollow  in  front.  If  this  does  not  answer, 
go  where  two  or  more  roads  meet  and  watch  for  the  first 
big  ant  that  is  going  home  loaded ;  lay  hold  of  it  and 
place  it  in  a  brass  tube ;  stop  up  the  end  of  the  tube  with 
lead,  putting  as  many  seals  upon  it  as  possible  ;  then  shake 
it,  saying  the  while,  <(  My  load  be  upon  thee,  and  thine 
upon  me.”  To  this  Rav  Acha,  the  son  of  Rav  Hunna,  ob¬ 
jected  to  Rav  Ashi,  and  asked,  (<  Might  not  the  ant  have 


THE  TALMUD 


i93 


been  already  laden  with,  another  man’s  fever?®  (<  True, ® 
observed  the  other;  (( nevertheless  let  him  say,  ( My  load 
be  upon  thee  as  well  as  thine  own. J  ®  If  this  be  not  effect¬ 
ive,  then  take  a  new  earthenware  pot,  and  going  to  the 
nearest  stream,  say,  (<  Stream,  stream,  lend  me  a  pot  full  of 
water  for  one  who  is  on  a  visit  to  me. ®  Wave  it  seven 
times  round  thy  head  and  then  throw  the  water  back 
again,  saying,  (( Stream,  stream,  take  back  thy  borrowed 
water  for  my  guest  came  and  went  the  same  day.® 

Rav  Hunna  then  adds  a  prescription  for  a  tertian  fever, 
and  Rabbi  Yochanan  gives  the  following  as  effective  against 
a  burning  fever  :  —  Take  an  iron  knife,  and  having  fastened 
a  papyrus  fibre  to  the  nearest  bramble,  cut  off  a  piece  and 
say,  <(And  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  appeared  to  him  in  a 
flame  of  fire/  etc.,  as  in  Exod.  iii.  2.  On  the  morrow 
cut  off  another  piece  and  say,  <(The  Lord  saw  that  he  (the 
fever)  turned  aside ;  ®  then  upon  the  third  day  say,  <(  Draw 
not  hither,®  and  stooping  down,  pray,  <(  Bush,  bush!  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  caused  His  Shechinah  to 
lodge  upon  thee,  not  because  thou  art  the  loftiest,  for  thou 
art  the  lowest  of  all  trees  ;  and  as  when  thou  didst  see  the 
fire  of  Hananiah,  Mishael,  and  Azariah,  thou  didst  flee 
therefrom,  so  see  the  fire  (fever)  of  this  sufferer  and  flee 
from  it.®  Shabbath ,  fol.  66,  col.  2,  etc. 

Rabba  once  created  a  man  (out  of  dust)  and  sent  him  to 
Rabbi  Zira,  who  having  addressed  the  figure  and  received 
no  answer,  said,  <(  Thou  art  (made)  by  witchcraft;  return 
to  thy  native  dust.®  Rav  Chaneanah  and  Rav  Oshayah  sat 
together  every  Sabbath-eve  studying  the  book  Yetzirah 
(i.  e.y  the  book  of  Creation),  until  they  were  able  to 
create  for  themselves  a  calf  (as  large  as  a)  three-year  old, 
and  they  did  eat  thereof.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  65,  col,  2. 

Yannai  once  turned  in  to  a  certain  inn,  and  asked  for 
water  to  drink,  when  they  gave  him  (Shethitha,  i.  e., 
water  mixed  with  flour).  He  noticed  that  the  lips  of  the 
woman  who  brought  it  moved  (and  so  suspecting  that 
something  was  wrong),  he  poured  out  a  little  of  it  and  it 
became  scorpions.  He  then  said,  <(  I  have  drunk  of  thine, 
now  thou  shalt  drink  of  mine.®  The  woman  drank  and 


13 


194 


THE  TALMUD 


was  transformed  into  an  ass,  which  he  mounted  and  rode 
to  the  market-place.  One  of '  her  companions  having  come 
up,  broke  the  spell,  and  the  ass  he  had  ridden  was  on  the 
spot  transformed  back  again  into  a  woman.  In  reference 
to  the  above,  Rashi  naively  remarks  that  (<  we  are  not  to 
suppose  that  Yannai  was  a  Rabbi,  for  he  was  not  held  in 
esteem,  because  he  practiced  witchcraft. w  But  Rashi  is 
mistaken;  see  Sophrim,  chap.  16,  lial.  6. 

Sanhedfin ,  fob  67,  col.  2. 

Ten  measures  of  witchcraft  came  into  the  world  ;  Egypt 
received  nine  measures,  and  the  rest  of  the  world  one. 

Kiddushin ,  fob  49,  cob  2. 

The  Rabbis  say  that  on  the  Sabbath  serpents  and  scor¬ 
pions  may  be  tamed  by  charming  ;  that  a  metal  ring,  such 
as  may  be  carried  on  the  Sabbath,  may  be  applied  as  a 
remedy  to  a  sore  eye ;  but  that  demons  may  not  be  con¬ 
sulted  on  that  day  about  lost  property.  Rabbi  Yossi  has 
said,  (<  This  ought  not  to  be  done  even  on  week-days. J) 
Rav  Hunna  says,  (<  The  Halachah  does  not  enjoin  as  Rabbi 
Yossi  says,  and  even  he  prohibits  it  only  because  of  the 
risk  there  is  in  consulting  demons.  For  instance,  Rav 
Yitzchak  bar  Yoseph  was  once  desperately  delivered  from 
the  attacks  of  a  vicious  demon  by  a  cedar-tree  opening  of 
its  own  accord  and  enclosing  him  in  its  trunk. 

Sanhedrin ,  fob  101,  cob  1. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Zachai  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the 
language  of  angels  and  demons  for  purposes  of  incantation. 

Bava  Bathra,  fob  134,  cob  1. 

<(  Neither  shall  ye  use  enchantments .  .  .  (Eev. 

xix.  26).  Such,  for  instance,  as  those  practiced  with  cats, 
fowls,  and  fishes.  Sanhedrin ,  fob  66,  cob  1. 

Rav  Ketina  happened  once,  in  his  travels,  to  hear  the 
noise  of  an  earthquake  just  as  he  came  opposite  to  the 
abode  of  one  who  was  wont  to  conjure  with  human  bones. 
Happening  to  mutter  aloud  to  himself  as  he  passed,  ((  Does 
the  conjurer  really  know  what  that  noise  is?})  a  voice 
answered,  (<  Ketina,  Ketina,  why  shouldn’t  I  know?  When 
the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  thinks  of  His  children 
who  dwell  in  sorrowful  circumstances  among  the  nations  of 


THE  TALMUD 


i95 


the  earth,  He  lets  fall  two  tears  into  the  great  sea,  and 
His  voice  is  heard  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other, 
and  that  is  the  rumbling  noise  we  hear.”  Upon  which 
Rav  Ketina  protested,  <(The  conjurer  is  a  liar,  his  words 
are  not  true  ;  they  might  have  been  true,  had  there  been 
two  rumbling  noises.”  The  fact  was,  two  such  noises 
were  heard,  but  Rav  Ketina  would  not  acknowledge  it, 
lest,  by  so  doing,  he  should  increase  the  popularity  of  the 
conjurer.  Rav  Ketina  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  rumbling 
noise  is  caused  by  God  clapping  His  hands  together,  as  it 
is  said  (Ezek.  xxi.  22;  A.  V.,  ver.  17),  (( I  will  also  smite 
My  hands  together,  and  I  will  cause  My  fury  to  rest.” 

Berachoth ,  fob  59,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Elazar  ben  Azariah  proclaimed  this  anathema  with 
the  blast  of  three  hundred  trumpets :  — <(  Whoever  shall 
take  drink  from  the  hand  of  a  bride,  no  matter  whether 
she  be  the  daughter  of  a  disciple  of  the  wise  or  the  daugh¬ 
ter  of  an  Amhaaretz,  it  is  all  one  as  if  he  drunk  it  from 
the  hand  of  a  harlot.”  Again,  it  is  said,  <(  He  who  receives 
a  cup  from  the  hands  of  a  bride  and  drinks  it  therefrom, 
has  no  portion  whatever  in  the  world  to  come.” 

Tract  Calak. 

There  was  a  place  for  collecting  the  ashes  in  the  middle 
of  the  altar,  and  there  were  at  times  in  it  nearly  as  much 
as  three  hundred  cors  (equal  to  about  2830  bushels)  of 
ashes.  On  Rava  remarking  that  this  must  be  an  exag¬ 
geration,  Rav  Ammi  said  the  law,  the  prophets,  and  the 
sages  are  wont  to  use  hyperbolical  language.  Thus  the 
law  speaks  of  <(  Cities  great  and  walled  up  to  heaven  ” 
(Deut.  i.  28)  ;  the  prophets  speak  of  <(  the  earth  rent  with 
the  sound  of  them”  (1  Kings  i.  40);  the  sages  speak  as 
above  and  also  as  follows.  There  was  a  golden  vine  at 
the  entrance  of  the  Temple,  trailing  on  crystals,  on  which 
devotees  who  could  used  to  suspend  offerings  of  fruit  and 
grape  clusters.  <(  It  happened  once,”  said  Rabbi  Elazer  ben 
Rabbi  Zadoc,  <(  that  three  hundred  priests  were  counted  off 
to  clear  the  vine  of  the  offerings.”  Chullin ,  fol.  90,  cob  2. 

Three  hundred  priests  were  told  off  to  draw  the  veil  (of 
the  Temple)  aside ;  for  it  is  taught  that  Rabbi  Shimon 


196 


THE  TALMUD 


ben  Gamliel  declared  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Shimon  the 
Sagan  (or  high  priest’s  substitute),  that  the  thickness  of 
the  veil  was  a  handbreadth.  It  was  woven  of  seventy  - 
two  cords,  and  each  cord  consisted  of  twenty-four  strands. 
It  was  forty  cubits  long  and  twenty  wide.  Eighty-two 
myriads  of  damsels  worked  at  it,  and  two  such  veils  were 
made  every  year.  When  it  became  soiled,  it  took  three 
hundred  priests  to  immerse  and  cleanse  it.  Chullin. 

When  Moses  was  about  to  enter  Paradise  he  turned  to 
Joshua  and  said,  <(  If  any  doubtful  matters  remain,  ask  me 
now  and  I  will  explain  them.”  To  this  Joshua  replied, 
<(  Have  I  ever  left  thy  side  for  an  hour  and  gone  away  to 
any  other  ?  Hast  thou  not  thyself  written  concerning  me 
(Bxod.  xxxiii.  n),  (  His  servant  Joshua,  the  son  of  Nun, 
a  young  man,  departed  not  out  of  the  Tabernacle  ? >  ”  As 
a  punishment  for  this  pert  reply,  which  must  have  dis¬ 
tressed  and  confounded  his  master,  Joshua’s  power  of  brain 
was  immediately  weakened,  so  that  he  forgot  three  hun¬ 
dred  Halachahs,  and  seven  hundred  doubts  sprang  up  to 
perplex  him.  All  Israel  then  rose  up  to  murder  him,  but 
the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  said  unto  him,  (<To 
teach  thee  the  Halachahs  and  their  explanation  is  impos¬ 
sible,  but  go  and  trouble  them  with  work ;  as  it  is  said 
(Josh.  i.  1),  ( Now  after  the  death  of  Moses,  the  servant 
of  the  Lord,  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Joshua,*  ”  etc.  Temur  ah,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

In  the  future  God  will  assign  to  each  righteous  man 
three  hundred  and  ten  worlds  as  an  inheritance  ;  for  it  is 
said  (Prov.  viii.  21),  <(  That  I  may  cause  those  that  love 
me  to  inherit  substance,  and  I  will  fill  their  treasures.  ”  By 
Gematria  equals  three  hundred  and  ten. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  100,  col.  1,  and  Okitzin ,  chap.  3,  mish.  12. 

An  old  woman  once  complained  before  Rav  Nachman 
that  the  Head  of  the  Captivity  and  certain  Rabbis  with 
him  were  enjoying  themselves  in  her  booth,  which  they 
had  surreptitiously  taken  posession  of  and  would  not  sur¬ 
render,  but  Rav  Nachman  gave  no  heed  to  her  remon¬ 
strance.  Then  she  raised  her  voice  and  cried  aloud,  <(A 


THE  TALMUD 


197 


woman  whose  father  had  three  hundred  and  eighteen  slaves 
is  now  pleading  before  you,  and  you  paying  no  heed  to 
her  !  ”  Upon  which  Rav  Nachman  turned  to  his  associates 
and  said,  ((  She  is  a  bawling  woman,  but  she  has  no  right 
to  claim  the  booth,  only  the  value  of  its  timber.  ” 

Succah ,  fob  31,  col.  1. 

Elijah  the  Tishbite  once  said  to  Rav  Yehudah,  the 
brother  of  Rav  Salla  the  Holy,  <(  You  ask  why  the  Messiah 
does  not  come,  even  though  it  is  just  now  the  Day  of 
Atonement. ”  <(  And  what,”  asked  the  Rabbi,  <(  does  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  say  to  that  ?  ”  (<  He  says, 
(Sin  lieth  at  the  door*”  (Gen.  iv.  7).  <(  And  what  has 

Satan  to  say  ?  ”  (<  He  has  no  permission  to  accuse  any  one 

on  the  Day  of  Atonement.  ”  (<  How  do  we  know  this  ?  ” 

Ramma  bar  Chamma  replied,  (<  Satan  by  Gematria  equals 
three  hundred  and  sixty-four,  therefore  on  that  number  of 
days  only  has  he  permission  to  accuse  ;  but  on  the  Day  of 
Atonement  (z.  e .,  the  365th  day)  he  cannot  accuse.” 

Yoma ,  fol.  20,  cob  1. 

Rav  Yitzchak  said,  (<  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  which 
is  written  (Ps.  cxl.  8),  (  Grant  not,  O  Ford,  the  desires  of 
the  wicked  ;  further  not  his  wicked  device,  lest  they  exalt 
themselves.  Selah  ? )  ”  It  is  the  prayer  of  Jacob  to  the 
Ford  of  the  universe  that  He  would  not  grant  to  Esau, 
(<  the  wicked,  the  desires  of  his  heart.”  (( Further  not  his 
wicked  device,”  this  refers  to  Germamia  of  Edom  (z.  e ., 
Rome),  for  if  they  (the  Romans)  were  suffered  to  go  for¬ 
ward  they  would  destroy  the  whole  world !  Rav  Chama 
bar  Chanena  said,  <(  There  are  three  hundred  crowned  heads 
in  Germamia  of  Edom,  and  there  are  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  dukes  in  Babylon.  These  encounter  each  other 
daily,  and  one  of  them  commits  murder,  and  they  strive  to 
set  up  a  king.”  Meggillah,  fob  6,  cob  2. 

In  the  great  city  (of  Rome)  there  were  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  streets,  and  in  each  street  there  were  three 
hundred  and  sixty-five  palaces,  and  in  every  one  of  these 
there  were  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  steps,  each  of 
which  palaces  contained  sufficient  store  to  maintain  the 
whole  world.  P^sachim,  fob  118,  cob  2. 


198 


THE  TALMUD 


There  are  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  negative  precepts. 

There  were  three  hundred  and  ninety-four  courts  of  law  in 
Jerusalem,  and  as  many  synagogues  ;  also  the  same  number 
of  high  schools,  colleges,  and  academies,  and  as  many 
offices  for  public  notaries.  Kethuboth ,  fol.  105,  col.  1. 

Rav  Hunna  had  four  hundred  casks  of  wine  which  had 
turned  into  vinegar.  On  hearing  of  his  misfortune,  Rav  Ye- 
hudah,  the  brother  of  Rav  Salla  the  Holy,  or,  as  some 
say,  Rav  Adda  bar  Ahavah,  came  and  visited  him,  accom¬ 
panied  by  the  Rabbis.  “  Tet  the  master, ”  said  they,  “  ex¬ 
amine  himself  carefully. ”  (( What  ! ”  said  he,  <(  do  you 

suppose  me  to  have  been  guilty  of  wrong-doing  ?  ”  “  Shall 

we  then,”  said  they,  “suspect  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 
He! — of  executing  judgment  without  justice?”  “Well,” 
said  Rav  Hunna,  (<  if  you  have  heard  anything  against  me, 
don’t  conceal  it.”  “It  has  been  reported  to  us,”  said  they, 
“  that  the  master  has  withheld  the  gardener’s  share  of  the 
prunings.”  “What  else,  pray,  did  he  leave  me?”  retorted 
Rav  Hunna  ;  “  he  has  stolen  all  the  produce  of  my  vine¬ 
yard.”  They  replied,  “There  is  a  saying  that  whoever 
steals  from  a  thief  smells  of  theft.”  “Then,”  said  he,  “I 
hereby  promise  to  give  him  his  share.”  Thereupon,  accord¬ 
ing  to  some,  the  vinegar  turned  to  wine  again  ;  and, 
according  to  others,  the  price  of  vinegar  rose  to  the  price 
of  wine.  Berachoth ,  fol.  5,  col.  2. 

Rav  Adda  bar  Ahavah  once  saw  a  Gentile  woman  in  the 
market-place  wearing  a  red  head-dress,  and  supposing  that 
she  was  a  daughter  of  Israel,  he  impatiently  tore  it  off 
her  head.  For  this  outrage  he  was  fined  a  fine  of  four 
hundred  zouzim.  He  asked  the  woman  what  her  name  was, 
and  she  replied,  “  My  name  is  Mathan.”  “  Methun,  Methun,” 
he  wittily  rejoined,  “is  worth  four  hundred  zouzim.” 

Ibid. ,  fol.  20,  col.  1. 

Methun  means  patience  and  Mathan  two  hundred.  The  point 
lies  either  in  the  application  of  the  term  Methun,  which  means 
patience,  as  if  to  say,  had  he  been  so  patient  as  to  have  first  ascer¬ 
tained  what  the  woman  was,  he  would  have  saved  his  four  hundred 
zouzim  ;  or  in  the  identity  of  the  sound  Mathan,  i.  e.y  twTo  hundred, 
which  doubled,  equals  four  hundred.  This  has  long  since  passed  into 
a  proverb,  and  expresses  the  value  of  patience. 


THE  TALMUD 


199 


From  the  foregoing  extract  it  would  seem  that  it  was  not  the  fash¬ 
ion  among  Jewish  females  to  wear  head-dresses  of  a  red  color,  as  it  was 
presumed  to  indicate  a  certain  lightness  on  the  part  of  the  wearer  ;  so 
Rav  Adda  in  his  pious  zeal  thought  he  was  doing  a  good  work  in 
tearing  it  off  from  the  head  of  the  supposed  Jewess.  <(  Patience,  pa¬ 
tience  is  worth  four  hundred  zouzim.® 

Custom  among  the  Jews  had  then,  as  now,  the  force  of  religion. 
The  Talmud  says,  <(  A  man  should  never  deviate  from  a  settled  cus¬ 
tom.  Moses  ascended  on  high  and  did  not  eat  bread  <Ior  there  it  is 
not  the  custom)  ;  angels  came  down  to  earth  and  did  eat  bread  (for 
kere  it  is  the  custom  so  to  do).^  Bava  Metzia,  fol.  86,  col.  2. 

In  the  olden  time  it  was  not  the  fashion  for  a  Jew  to  wear  black 
shoes  (Taanith,  fol.  22,  col.  1).  Even  now,  in  Poland,  a  pious  Jew, 
or  a  Chasid,  would  on  no  account  wear  polished  boots  or  a  short  coat, 
or  neglect  to  wear  a  girdle.  He  would  at  once  lose  caste  and  be  sub¬ 
jected  to  persecution,  direct  or  indirect,  were  he  to  depart  from  a  cus¬ 
tom.  Custom  is  law,  is  an  oft-quoted  Jewish  proverb,  one  among  the 
most  familiar  of  their  household  words,  as  (<  Custom  is  a  tyrant, y)  is 
among  ours.  Another  saying  we  have  is,  <(  Custom  is  the  plague  of 
wise  men,  but  is  the  idol  of  fools. w 

The  following  anecdotes  are  related  by  way  of  practically 
illustrating  Ps.  ii.  11,  <(  Rejoice  with  trembling.-*  Mar,  the 
son  of  Ravina,  made  a  grand  marriage-feast  for  his  son, 
and  when  the  Rabbis  were  at  the  height  of  their  merri¬ 
ment  on  the  occasion,  he  brought  in  a  very  costly  cup, 
worth  four  hundred  zouzim,  and  broke  it  before  them,  and 
this  occasioned  them  sorrow  and  trembling.  Rav  Ashi 
made  a  grand  marriage-feast  for  his  son,  and  when  he 
noticed  the  Rabbis  in  high  jubilation,  he  brought  in  a 
costly  cup  of  white  glass  and  broke  it  before  them,  and 
this  made  them  sorrowful.  The  Rabbis  challenged  Rav 
Hamnunah  on  the  wedding  of  his  son  Ravina,  saying, 
(<  Give  us  a  song,  sir,*  and  he  sung,  <(  Woe  be  to  us,  for 
we  must  die  !  Woe  be  to  us,  for  we  must  die  !  *  (<  And 

what  shall  we  sing  ?  *  they  asked  in  chorus  by  way  of 
response.  He  replied,  <(  Sing  ye,  ( Alas  !  where  is  the  law 
we  have  studied  ?  where  the  good  works  we  have  done  ? 
that  they  may  protect  us  from  the  punishment  of  hell ! >  * 
Rabbi  Yochanan,  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Shimon  ben 
Yochai,  says,  <(  It  is  unlawful  for  a  man  to  fill  his  mouth 
with  laughter  in  this  world,  for  it  is  said  in  Ps.  cxxvi., 

(  Then  (but  not  now)  will  our  mouth  be  filled  with  laugh¬ 
ter,  '  *  etc.  It  is  related  of  Resh  Rakish  that  he  never 


200 


THE  TALMUD 


once  laughed  again  all  the  rest  of  his  life  from  the  time 
that  he  heard  this  from  Rabbi  Yochanan,  his  teacher. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  30,  col.  2,  and  fob  31,  cob  1. 

A  man  once  laid  a  wager  with  another  that  he  would 
put  Hillel  out  of  temper.  If  he  succeeded  he  was  to  re¬ 
ceive,  but  if  he  failed  he  was  to  forfeit,  four  hundred 
zouzim.  It  was  close  upon  Sabbath-eve,  and  Hillel  was 
washing  himself,  when  the  man  passed  by  his  door,  shout¬ 
ing,  <(  Where  is  Hillel  ?  where  is  Hillel  ?  ”  Hillel  wrapped 
his  mantle  round  him  and  sallied  forth  to  see  what  the 
man  wanted.  (<  I  want  to  ask  thee  a  question,”  was  the  re¬ 
ply.  <(  Ask  on,  my  son,”  said  Hillel.  Whereupon  the 
man  said,  (<  I  want  to  know  why  the  Babylonians  have 
such  round  heads?  ”  (<  A  very  important  question,  my  son,” 
said  Hillel ;  <(  the  reason  is  because  their  midwives  are  not 
clever.”  The  man  went  away,  but  after  an  hour  he  re¬ 
turned,  calling  out  as  before,  <(  Where  is  Hillel?  where  is 
Hillel  ?  ”  Hillel  again  threw  on  his  mantle  and  went  out, 
meekly  asking,  ((  What  now,  my  son?”  (( I  want  to  know,” 
said  he,  <(  why  the  people  of  Tadmor  are  weak-eyed  ?  ” 
Hillel  replied,  aThis  is  an  important  question,  my  son, 
and  the  reason  is  this,  they  live  in  a  sandy  country.” 
Away  went  the  man,  but  in  another  hour’s  time  he  re¬ 
turned  as  before,  crying  out,  (<  Where  is  Hillel  ?  where  is 
Hillel?  ”  Out  came  Hillel  again,  as  gentle  as  ever,  blandly 
requesting  to  know  what  more  he  wanted.  (<  I  have  a  ques¬ 
tion  to  ask,”  said  the  man.  <(  Ask  on,  my  son,”  said 
Hillel.  <(  Well,  why  have  the  Africans  such  broad  feet?” 
said  he.  (( Because  they  live  in  a  marshy  land,”  said 
Hillel.  (( I  have  many  more  questions  to  ask,”  said  the 
man,  <(  but  I  am  afraid  that  I  shall  only  try  thy  patience 
and  make  thee  angry.”  Hillel,  drawing  his  mantle  around 
him,  sat  down  and  bade  the  man  ask  all  the  questions  he 
wished.  <(  Art  thou  Hillel,”  said  he,  <(  whom  they  call  a 
prince  in  Israel?”  (<Yes,”  was  the  reply.  (< Well,”  said 
the  other,  <(  I  pray  there  may  not  be  man}'-  more  in  Israel 
like  thee!”  <(Why,”  said  Hillel,  <(  how  is  that?”  <(  Be¬ 
cause,”  said  the  man,  (<  I  have  betted  four  hundred  zouzim 
that  I  could  put  thee  out  of  temper,  and  I  have  lost  them 
all  through  thee.”  w  Be  warned  for  the  future,”  said 


THE  TALMUD 


201 


Hillel ;  <(  better  it  is  that  thou  shouldst  lose  four  hundred 
zouzim,  and  four  hundred  more  after  them,  than  it  should 
be  said  of  Hillel  he  lost  his  temper  !  ” 

Shabbath ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Perida  had  a  pupil  to  whom  he  had  to  rehearse  a 
lesson  four  hundred  times  before  the  latter  comprehended 
it.  One  day  the  Rabbi  was  hurriedly  called  away  to  per¬ 
form  some  charitable  act,  but  before  he  went  he  repeated 
the  lesson  in  hand  the  usual  four  hundred  times,  but  this 
time  his  pupil  failed  to  learn  it.  (<  What  is  the  reason,  my 
son,”  said  he  to  his  dull  pupil,  <(  that  this  time  my  repe¬ 
titions  have  been  thrown  away?”  <(  Because,  master,” 
naively  replied  the  youth,  <(  my  mind  was  so  pre-occupied 
with  the  summons  you  received  to  discharge  another  duty.” 
<(  Well,  then,”  said  the  Rabbi  to  his  pupil,  <(let  us  begin 
again.”  And  he  repeated  the  lesson  a  second  four  hundred 
times.  Eiruvin ,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

Between  Azel  and  Azel  (1  Chron.  viii.  38  and  ix.  44),  there 
are  four  hundred  camel-loads  of  critical  researches  due  to 
the  presence  of  manifold  contradictions. 

P’ sachim,  fol.  62,  col.  2. 

Egypt  has  an  area  of  four  hundred  square  miles. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  94,  col.  1. 

The  Targum  of  the  Pentateuch  was  executed  by  Onkelos 
the  proselyte  at  the  dictation  of  Rabbi  Eliezer  and  Rabbi 
Yehoshua,  and  the  Targum  of  the  prophets  was  executed 
by  Jonathan  ben  Uzziel  at  the  dictation  of  Haggai,  Za- 
chariah,  and  Malachi  (!),  at  which  time  the  land  of  Israel 
was  convulsed  over  an  area  of  four  hundred  square  miles. 

Meggillah,  fol.  3,  col.  1. 

Mar  Ukva  was  in  the  habit  of  sending  on  the  Day  of 
Atonement  four  hundred  zouzim  to  a  poor  neighbor  of  his. 
Once  he  sent  the  money  by  his  own  son,  who  returned 
bringing  it  back  with  him,  remarking,  (<  There  is  no  need 
to  bestow  charity  upon  a  man  who,  as  I  myself  have  seen, 
is  able  to  indulge  himself  in  expensive  old  wine.”  “Well,” 
said  his  father,  <(  since  he  is  so  dainty  in  his  taste,  he  must 
have  seen  better  days.  I  will  therefore  double  the  amount 


202 


THE  TALMUD 


for  the  future.”  And  this  accordingly  he  at  once  remitted 
to  him.  Kethuboth ,  fol.  67,  col.  2. 

<(  And  Joseph  took  an  oath  of  the  children  of  Israel, 
ye  shall  carry  up  my  bones  from  hence ”  (Gen. 
1.  25).  Rabbi  Chanena  said,  (( There  is  a  reason  for  this 
oath.  As  Joseph  knew  that  he  was  perfectly  righteous, 
why  then,  if  the  dead  are  to  rise  in  other  countries  as  well 
as  in  the  land  of  Israel,  did  he  trouble  his  brethren  to 
carry  his  bones  four  hundred  miles  ?  ”  The  reply  is,  <(  He 
feared  lest,  if  buried  in  Egypt,  he  might  have  to  worm  his 
way  through  subterranean  passages  from  his  grave  into  the 
land  of  Israel.”  Ibid.,  fol.  111,  col.  1. 

To  this  day  among  the  Polish  Jews  the  dead  are  provided  for  their 
long  subterranean  journey  with  little  wooden  forks,  with  which,  at  the 
sound  of  the  great  trumpet,  they  are  to  dig  and  burrow  their  way 
from  where  they  happen  to  be  buried  till  they  arrive  in  Palestine. 
To  avoid  this  inconvenience  there  are  some  among  them  who,  on 
the  approach  of  old  age,  migrate  to  the  Holy  Land,  that  their  bones 
may  rest  there  against  the  morning  of  the  resurrection. 

Rav  Cahana  was  once  selling  ladies’  baskets  when  he  was 
exposed  to  the  trial  of  a  sinful  temptation.  He  pleaded 
with  his  tempter  to  let  him  off  and  he  promised  to  return, 
but  instead  of  doing  so  he  went  up  to  the  roof  of  the  house 
and  threw  himself  down  headlong.  Before  he  reached  the 
ground,  however,  Elijah  came  and  caught  him,  and  re¬ 
proached  him,  as  he  caught  him  up,  with  having  brought  him 
a  distance  of  four  hundred  miles  to  save  him  from  an  act 
of  willful  self-destruction.  The  Rabbi  told  him  that  it  was 
his  poverty  which  had  given  to  the  temptation  the  power 
of  seduction.  Thereupon  Elijah  gave  him  a  vessel  full  of 
gold  denarii  and  departed.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  40,  col.  1. 

<(  Pashur,  the  son  of  Immer  the  priest  ”  (Jer.  xx.  1)  had  four 
hundred  servants,  and  every  one  of  them  rose  to  the  rank  of 
the  priesthood.  One  consequence  was  that  an  insolent  priest 
hardly  ever  appeared  in  Israel  but  his  genealogy  could  be 
traced  to  this  base-born,  low-bred  ancestry.  Rabbi  Elazar 
said,  <(  If  thou  seest  an  impudent  priest,  do  not  think  evil 
of  him,  for  it  is  said  (Hos.  iv.  4),  ( Thy  people  are  as 
they  that  strive  with  the  priest. )  ”  Ibid.,  fol.  70,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


203 


David  had  four  hundred  young  men,  handsome  in  ap¬ 
pearance  and  with  tlieir  hair  cut  close  upon  their  foreheads, 
but  with  long  flowing  curls  behind,  who  used  to  ride  in 
chariots  of  gold  at  the  head  of  the  army.  These  were 
men  of  power  (men  of  the  fist,  in  the  original),  the  mighty 
men  of  the  house  of  David,  who  went  about  to  strike  ter¬ 
ror  into  the  world.  Kiddushin ,  fol.  76,  col.  2. 

Four  hundred  boys  and  as  many  girls  were  once  kid¬ 
napped  and  torn  from  their  relations.  When  they  learned 
the  purpose  of  their  capture,  they  all  exclaimed,  <(  Better 
drown  ourselves  in  the  sea ;  then  shall  we  have  an  inheri¬ 
tance  in  the  world  to  come.®  The  eldest  then  explained  to 
them  the  text  (Ps.  lxviii.  22),  <(  The  Ford  said,  I  will  bring 
again  from  Bashan  ;  I  will  bring  again  from  the  depths  of 
of  the  sea.®  (<  From  Bashan,®  i.  e.,  from  the  teeth  of  the 
lion;  <(  from  the  depths  of  the  sea,®  i.  e .,  those  that  drown 
themselves  in  the  sea.  When  the  girls  heard  this  explana¬ 
tion  they  at  once  jumped  all  together  into  the  sea,  and  the 
boys  with  alacrity  followed  their  example.  It  is  with  ref¬ 
erence  to  these  that  Scripture  sa}^s  (Ps.  xliv.  22),  (<  For  thy 
sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day  long  ;  we  are  counted  as 
sheep  for  the  slaughter.®  Gittin ,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

There  were  four  hundred  synagogues  in  the  city  of  Byther, 
in  each  there  were  four  hundred  elementary  teachers,  and 
each  had  four  hundred  pupils.  When  the  enemy  entered  the 
city  they  pierced  him  with  their  pointers  ;  but  when  at  last  the 
enemy  overpowered  them,  he  wrapped  them  in  their  books 
and  then  set  fire  to  them  ;  and  this  is  what  is  written  (Tam. 
iii.  51),  <(  Mine  eye  affecteth  my  heart  because  of  all  the 
daughters  of  my  city.®  Ibid.,  fol.  58,  col  1. 

The  total  population  of  Byther  must  have  been  something  enormous 
when  the  children  in  it  amounted  to  64,000,000  !  The  elementary 
teachers  alone  came  to  160,000. 

Once  when  the  Hasmonean  kings  were  engaged  in  civil 
war  it  happened  that  Hyrcanus  was  outside  Jerusalem 
and  Aristobulus  within.  Every  day  the  besieged  let  down 
a  box  containing  gold  denarii,  and  received  in  return  lambs 
for  the  daily  sacrifices.  There  chanced  to  be  an  old  man 
in  the  city  who  was  familiar  with  the  wisdom  of  the  Greeks, 


204 


THE  TALMUD 


and  he  hinted  to  the  besiegers  in  the  Greek  language  that 
so  long  as  the  Temple  services  were  kept  up  the  city  could 
not  be  taken.  The  next  day  accordingly,  when  the  money 
had  been  let  down,  they  sent  back  a  pig  in  return.  When 
about  half-way  up  the  animal  pushed  with  its  feet  against 
the  stones  of  the  wall,  and  thereupon  an  earthquake  was 
felt  throughout  the  land  of  Israel  to  the  extent  of  four 
hundred  miles.  At  that  time  it  was  the  saying  arose, 
<(  Cursed  be  he  that  rears  swine,  and  he  who  shall  teach  his 
son  the  wisdom  of  the  Greeks. ”  (See  Matt.  viii.  30.) 

Soteh ,  fol.  49,  col.  2. 

If  one  strikes  his  neighbor  with  his  fist,  he  must  pay 
him  one  sela ;  if  he  slaps  his  face,  he  is  to  pay  two 
hundred  zouzim  ;  but  for  a  back-handed  slap  the  assailant 
is  to  pay  four  hundred  zouzim.  If  he  pulls  the  ear  of 
another,  or  plucks  his  hair,  or  spits  upon  him,  or  pulls  off 
his  mantle,  or  tears  a  woman’s  head-dress  off  in  the  street, 
in  each  of  these  cases  he  is  fined  four  hundred  zouzim. 

Bava  Kama ,  fol.  90,  col.  1. 

There  was  once  a  dispute  between  Rabbi  Eliezer  and  the 
Mishnic  sages  as  to  whether  a  baking-oven,  constructed 
from  certain  materials  and  of  a  particular  shape,  was  clean 
or  unclean.  The  former  decided  that  it  was  clean,  but  the 
latter  were  of  a  contrary  opinion.  Having  replied  to  all 
the  objections  the  sages  had  brought  against  his  decision, 
and  finding  that  they  still  refused  to  acquiesce,  the  Rabbi 
turned  to  them  and  said,  (<  If  the  Halacha  (the  law)  is  ac¬ 
cording  to  my  decision,  let  this  carob-tree  attest.”  Where¬ 
upon  the  carob-tree  rooted  itself  up  and  transplanted  itself 
to  a  distance  of  one  hundred,  some  say  four  hundred, 
yards  from  the  spot.  But  the  sages  demurred  and  said, 
(<  We  cannot  admit  the  evidence  of  a  carob-tree. ”  (<  Well, 
then,”  said  Rabbi  Eliezer,  <(  let  this  running  brook  be  a 
proof  ;  ”  and  the  brook  at  once  reversed  its  natural  course 
and  flowed  back.  The  sages  refused  to  admit  this  proof 
also.  <(  Then  let  the  walls  of  the  college  bear  witness  that 
the  law  is  according  to  my  decision  ;  ”  upon  which  the 
walls  began  to  bend,  and  wrere  about  to  fall,  when  Rabbi 
Joshuah  interposed  and  rebuked  them,  saying,  <(  If  the  dis- 


THE  TALMUD 


205 


tiples  of  the  sages  wrangle  with  each  other  in  the  Halacha, 
what  is  that  to  you  ?  Be  ye  quiet  !  ®  Therefore,  out  of 
respect  to  Rabbi  Joshuah,  they  did  not  fall,  and  out  of  re¬ 
spect  to  Rabbi  Eliezer  they  did  not  resume  their  former 
upright  position,  but  remained  toppling,  which  they  con¬ 
tinue  to  do  to  this  day.  Then  said  Rabbi  Eliezer  to  the 
sages,  Let  Heaven  itself  testify  that  the  Halacha  is  ac¬ 
cording  to  my  judgment. ®  And  a  Bath  Kol  or  voice  from 
heaven  was  heard,  saying,  ((  What  have  ye  to  do  with 
Rabbi  Eliezer  ?  for  the  Halacha  is  on  every  point  according 
to  his  decision  !  ®  Rabbi  Joshuah  then  stood  up  and  proved 
from  Scripture  that  even  a  voice  from  heaven  was  not  to 
be  regarded,  <(  For  Thou,  O  God,  didst  long  ago  write 
down  in  the  law  wThich  Thou  gavest  on  Sinai  (Exod.  xxiii. 
2),  (Thou  shalt  follow  the  multitude. )  ®  (See  context.) 
We  have  it  on  the  testimony  of  Elijah  the  prophet,  given 
to  Rabbi  Nathan,  on  an  oath,  that  it  was  with  reference 
to  this  dispute  about  the  oven  God  himself  confessed  and 
said,  <(  My  children  have  vanquished  me !  My  children 
have  vanquished  me!  w  Bava  Metzia ,  fol.  59,  col.  1. 

In  the  sequel  to  the  above  we  are  told  that  all  the  legal  documents 
of  Rabbi  Eliezer  containing  his  decisions  respecting  things  <(  clean M 
were  publicly  burned  with  fire,  and  he  himself  excommunicated.  In 
consequence  of  this  the  whole  world  was  smitten  with  blight,  a  third 
in  the  olives,  a  third  in  the  barley,  and  a  third  in  the  wheat ;  and 
the  Rabbi  himself,  though  excommunicated,  continued  to  be  held  in 
the  highest  regard  in  Israel. 

The  Rabbis  said  to  Rabbi  Hamnuna,  (<  Rav  Ami  has 
written  or  copied  four  hundred  copies  of  the  law.®  He  re¬ 
plied  to  them,  (<  Perhaps  only  (Deut.  xxxiii.  4)  ( Moses 
commanded  us  a  law. *  ®  (He  meant  he  did  not  imagine 
that  any  one  man  could  possibly  write  out  four  hundred 
complete  copies  of  the  Pentateuch.) 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Chanena  said,  (( If  four  hundred  years  after  the 
destruction  of  the  Temple  one  offers  thee  a  field  worth  a 
thousand  denarii  for  one  denarius,  don’t  buy  it.® 

Avodah  Zarah,  fol.  9,  col.  2. 

We  know  by  tradition  that  the  treatise  (<  Avodah  Zarah,® 
which  our  father  Abraham  possessed,  contained  four  hun- 


206 


THE  TALMUD 


dred  chapters,  but  the  treatise  as  we  now  have  it  con¬ 
tains  only  five.  Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 

The  camp  of  Sennacherib  was  four  hundred  miles  in 
length.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  95,  col.  2. 

<(  Curse  ye  Meroz,”  etc.  (Judges  v.  23).  Barak  excom¬ 
municated  Meroz  at  the  blast  of  four  hundred  trumpets  (lit. 
horns  or  cornets).  Shevuoth ,  fol.  36,  col.  1. 

What  is  the  meaning  where  it  is  written  (Ps.  x.  27), 
<(  The  fear  of  the  Ford  prolongeth  days,  but  the  years  of 
the  wicked  shall  be  shortened  ;  >}  (<  The  fear  of  the  Ford 
prolongeth  days w  alludes  to  the  four  hundred  and  ten 
years  the  first  Temple  stood,  during  which  period  the  suc¬ 
cession  of  high  priests  numbered  only  eighteen.  But  (( the 
years  of  the  wicked  shall  be  shortened  is  illustrated  by 
the  fact  that  during  the  four  hundred  and  twenty  years 
that  the  second  Temple  stood  the  succession  of  high  priests 
numbered  more  than  three  hundred.  If  we  deduct  the 
forty  years  during  which  Shimon  the  Righteous  held  office, 
and  the  eighty  of  Rabbi  Yochanan,  and  the  ten  of  Rabbi 
Ishmael  ben  Rabbi,  it  is  evident  that  not  one  of  the  re¬ 
maining  high  priests  lived  to  hold  office  for  a  whole  year. 

Yo?nay  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

<(The  souls  which  they  had  gotten  in  Haran}>  (Gen.  xii. 
5).  From  this  time  to  the  giving  of  the  law  was  four 
hundred  and  forty-eight  years. 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  9,  col.  1. 

A  young  girl  and  ten  of  her  maid-servants  were  once 
kidnapped,  when  a  certain  Gentile  bought  them  and  brought 
them  to  his  house.  One  day  he  gave  a  pitcher  to  the 
child  and  bade  her  fetch  him  water,  but  one  of  her  serv¬ 
ants  took  the  pitcher  from  her,  intending  to  go  instead. 
The  master,  observing  this,  asked  the  maid  why  she  did  so. 
The  servant  replied,  <(  By  the  life  of  thy  head,  my  lord,  I 
am  one  of  no  less  than  five  hundred  servants  of  this  child’s 
mother.  })  The  master  was  so  touched  that  he  granted 
them  all  their  freedom.  Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  17. 

Caesar  once  said  to  Rabbi  Yoshua  ben  Chananja,  (1This 
God  of  yours  is  compared  to  a  lion,  as  it  is  written  (Amos 


THE  TALMUD 


207 


iii.  8),  (  The  lion  hath  roared,  who  will  not  fear?>  Wherein 
consists  his  excellency  ?  A  horseman  kills  a  lion. ”  The 
Rabbi  replied,  (<  He  is  not  compared  to  an  ordinary  lion, 
but  to  a  lion  of  the  forest  Ilaei. ”  <(  Show  me  that  lion  at 
once,”  said  the  Emperor.  <(  But  thou  canst  not  behold 
him,”  said  the  Rabbi.  Still  the  Emperor  insisted  on  see¬ 
ing  the  lion  ;  so  the  Rabbi  prayed  to  God  to  help  him  in 
his  perplexity.  His  prayer  was  heard  ;  the  lion  came  forth 
from  his  lair  and  roared,  upon  which,  though  it  was  four 
hundred  miles  away,  all  the  walls  of  Rome  trembled  and 
fell  to  the  ground.  Approaching  three  hundred  miles 
nearer,  he  roared  again,  and  this  time  the  teeth  of  the  peo¬ 
ple  dropped  out  of  their  mouths  and  the  Emperor  fell  from 
his  throne  quaking.  ((  Alas  !  Rabbi,  pray  to  thy  God  that 
He  order  the  lion  back  to  his  abode  in  the  forest.” 

Chullin ,  fol.  59,  col.  2. 

All  this  is  as  nothing  compared  to  the  voice  of  Judah,  which  made 
all  Egypt  quake  and  tremble,  and  Pharaoh  fall  from  his  throne  head¬ 
long,  etc.,  etc.  See  Jasher,  chap.  64,  verses  46,  47. 

The  distance  from  the  earth  to  the  firmament  is  five 
hundred  years’  journey,  and  so  it  is  from  each  successive 
firmament  to  the  next,  throughout  the  series  of  the  seven 
heavens.  P’<>ac/izm,  fol.  94,  col.  2. 

<(  Now,  as  I  beheld  the  living  creatures,  behold,  one  wheel 
upon  the  earth  by  the  living  creatures”  (Ezek.  i.  15). 
Rabbi  Elazar  says  it  was  an  angel  who  stood  upon  the 
earth,  and  his  head  reached  to  the  living  creatures.  It  is 
recorded  in  a  Mishna  that  his  name  is  Sandalphon,  who 
towers  above  his  fellow-angels  to  a  height  of  five  hundred 
years’  journey  ;  he  stands  behind  the  chariot  and  binds 
crowns  on  the  head  of  his  Creator.  Chaggigah,  fol.  13,  col.  2. 

In  the  Liturgy  for  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  it  is  said  that  Sandal¬ 
phon  gathers  in  his  hands  the  prayers  of  Israel,  and,  forming  a 
wreath  of  them,  he  adjures  it  to  ascend  as  an  orb  for  the  head  of  the 
supreme  King  of  kings. 

The  mount  of  the  Temple  was  five  hundred  yards  square. 

Middoth ,  chap.  2. 

One  Scripture  text  (1  Chron.  xxi.  25)  says,  <(  So  David 
gave  to  Oman  for  the  place  six  hundred  shekels  of  gold 


208 


THE  TALMUD 


by  weight.”  And  another  Scripture  (2  Sam.  xxiv.  24)  says, 
(<  So  David  bought  the  threshing-floor  and  the  oxen  for 
fifty  shekels  of  silver. ”  How  is  this?  David  took  from 
each  tribe  fifty  shekels,  and  they  made  together  the  total 
six  hundred,  i.  e.,  he  took  silver  to  the  value  of  fifty 
shekels  of  gold.  Zevachim ,  fol.  116,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Samlai  explains  that  six  hundred  and  thirteen  com¬ 
mandments  were  communicated  to  Moses  ;  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  negative,  according  to  the  number  of  days  in  the 
year,  and  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  positive,  according 
to  the  number  of  members  in  the  human  body.  Rav  Ham- 
nunah  asked  what  was  the  Scripture  proof  for  this.  The 
reply  was  (Deut.  xxxiii.  4),  <(  Moses  commanded  us  a  law  ” 
(Torah),  which  by  Gematria  answers  to  six  hundred  and 
eleven.  (<  I  am,”  and  (<Thou  shalt  have  no  other,”  which 
we  heard  from  the  Almighty  Himself,  together  make  up  six 
hundred  and  thirteen.  Maccoth ,  fol.  23,  col.  2. 

David,  we  are  told,  reduced  these  commandments  here  reckoned  at 
six  hundred  and  thirteen,  to  eleven,  and  Isaiah  still  further  to  six, 
and  then  afterward  to  two.  <(Thus  saith  the  Eternal,  Observe  justice 
and  act  righteously,  for  my  salvation  is  nearA  Finally  came  Habak- 
kuk,  and  he  reduced  the  number  to  one  all-comprehensive  precept 
(chap.  ii.  4),  <(The  just  shall  live  by  faith. »  (See  Maccoth ,  fol.  24, 
col.  1.) 

The  precept  concerning  fringes  is  as  weighty  as  all  the 
other  precepts  put  together  ;  for  it  is  written,  says  Rashi 
(Num.  xv.  39),  <(And  remember  all  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord.”  Now  the  numerical  value  of  the  word  ((  fringes” 
is  six  hundred,  and  this  with  eight  threads  and  five  knots 
makes  six  hundred  and  thirteen. 

SJievuoth ,  fol.  29,  col.  1. 

<(  For  behold,  the  Lord,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  doth  take  away 
from  Jerusalem  and  from  Judah  the  stay  and  the  staff,  the 
whole  stay  of  bread  and  the  whole  stay  of  water,  the  mighty 
man  and  the  man  of  war,  the  judge  and  the  prophet, ”  etc. 
(Isa.  iii.  1,  2).  By  <(  the  stay”  is  meant  men  mighty  in  the 
Scriptures,  and  by  <(  the  staff ”  men  learned  in  the  Mishna  ; 
such,  for  instance,  as  Rabbi  Yehudah  ben  Tima  and  his  as¬ 
sociates.  Rav  Pappa  and  the  Rabbis  differed  as  to  the 
Mishna  ;  the  former  said  there  were  six  hundred  orders  of 


THE  TALMUD 


209 


♦ 


the  Mishna,  and  the  latter  that  there  were  seven  hundred 
orders.  <(  The  whole  stay  of  bread  ”  means  men  distin¬ 
guished  in  the  Talmud  ;  for  it  is  said,  <(  Come,  eat  of  my 
bread,  and  drink  of  the  wine  which  I  have  mingled  ”  (Prov. 
ix.  5).  And  <(  the  whole  stay  of  water  ”  means  men  skillful 
in  the  Haggadoth,  who  draw  out  the  heart  of  man  like 
water  by  means  of  a  pretty  story  or  legend,  etc. 

Chaggigah ,  fob  14,  col.  1. 

There  are  seven  hundred  species  of  fish,  eight  hundred 
of  locusts,  twenty-four  of  birds  that  are  unclean,  while  the 
species  of  birds  that  are  clean  cannot  be  numbered. 

Chullin ,  fol.  63,  cob  2. 

(<The  same  was  Adino  the  Eznite,”  etc.  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  8). 
This  mighty  man  when  studying  the  law  was  as  pliant  as 
a  worm ;  but  when  engaged  in  war  he  was  as  firm  and  un¬ 
yielding  as  a  tree  ;  and  when  he  discharged  an  arrow  he 
killed  eight  hundred  men  at  one  shot. 

Moed  Katon ,  fob  16,  cob  2. 

<(Ye  shall  soon  utterly  perish  from  off  the  land”  (Deut. 
iv.  26).  The  term  soon  uttered  by  the  Uord  of  the  Uni¬ 
verse  means  eight  hundred  and  fifty-two  years. 

Sayihedrin ,  fob  38,  cob  1. 

There  are  nine  hundred  and  three  sorts  of  deaths  in  the 
world;  for  the  expression  occurs  (Ps.  lxviii.  20),  (<  Issues 
of  death.”  The  numerical  value  of  <( issues”  is  nine  hun¬ 
dred  and  three.  The  hardest  of  all  deaths  is  by  quinsy, 
and  the  easiest  is  the  Divine  kiss  (of  which  Moses,  Aaron, 
and  Miriam  died).  Quinsy  is  like  the  forcible  extraction  of 
prickly  thorns  from  wool,  or  like  a  thick  rope  drawn  through 
a  small  aperture ;  the  kiss  referred  to  is  like  the  extract¬ 
ing  of  a  hair  from  milk. 

Berachoth,  fob  8,  cob  1. 

When  Moses  went  up  on  high,  the  ministering  angels 
asked,  (<  What  has  one  born  of  a  woman  to  do  among  us?” 
<(  He  has  come  to  receive  the  law,  ”  was  the  Divine  answer. 
(<  What !  ”  they  remonstrated  again,  <(  that  cherished  treasure 
which  has  lain  with  Thee  for  nine  hundred  and  seventy-four 
generations  before  the  world  was  created,  art  Thou  about 
to  bestow  it  upon  flesh  and  blood?  What  is  mortal  man 
14 


210 


THE  TALMUD 


that  Thou  art  mindful  of  him,  and  the  son  of  earth  that 
Thou  thus  visitest  him?  O  Lord  !  our  Lord  !  is  not  Thy 
name  already  sufficiently  exalted  in  the  earth  ?  Confer  Thy 
glory  upon  the  heavens ”  (Ps.  viii.  4,  6).  The  Holy  One 
—  blessed  be  He  !  —  then  called  upon  Moses  to  refute  the 
objection  of  the  envious  angels.  (<  I  fear,”  pleaded  he, 
<(  lest  they  consume  me  with  the  fiery  breath  of  their 
mouth.”  Thereupon,  by  way  of  protection,  he  was  bid  ap¬ 
proach  and  lay  hold  of  the  throne  of  God  ;  as  it  is  said 
(Job  xxvi.  9),  <(  He  lays  hold  of  the  face  of  His  throne 
and  spreads  His  cloud  over  him.”  Thus  encouraged,  Moses 
went  over  the  Decalogue,  and  demanded  of  the  angels 
whether  they  had  suffered  an  Egyptian  bondage  and  dwelt 
among  idolatrous  nations,  so  as  to  require  the  first  com¬ 
mandment  ;  or  were  they  so  hardworked  as  to  need  a  day 
of  rest,  etc.,  etc.  Then  the  angels  at  once  confessed  that 
they  were  wrong  in  seeking  to  withhold  the  law  from 
Israel,  and  they  then  repeated  the  words,  <(  O  Lord,  how 
excellent  is  Thy  name  in  all  the  earth!”  (Ps.  viii.  9), 
omitting  the  words,  (<  Confer  Thy  glory  upon  the  heavens.” 
And  not  only  so,  but  they  positively  befriended  Moses,  and 
each  of  them  revealed  to  him  some  useful  secret ;  as  it  is 
said  (Ps.  lxviii.  18),  (<  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou 
hast  captured  spoil,  thou  hast  received  gifts  ;  because  they 
have  contemptuously  called  thee  man.” 

Shabbath ,  fol.  88,  col.  2. 

Nine  hundred  and  seventy-four  generations  before  the 
world  was  created  the  law  was  written  and  deposited  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  and  sang 
praises  with  the  ministering  angels. 

Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  31. 

If  one  is  sick  and  at  the  point  of  death,  he  is  expected 
to  confess,  for  all  confess  who  are  about  to  suffer  the  last 
penalty  of  the  law.  When  a  man  goes  to  the  market 
place,  let  him  consider  himself  as  handed  over  to  the  cus¬ 
tody  of  the  officers  of  judgment.  If  he  has  a  headache, 
let  him  deem  himself  fastened  with  a  chain  by  the  neck.' 
If  confined  to  his  bed,  let  him  regard  himself  as  mounting 
the  steps  to  be  judged  ;  for  when  this  happens  to  him,  he 


THE  TALMUD 


21  I 


is  saved  from  death  only  if  he  have  competent  advo¬ 

cates,  and  these  advocates  are  repentance  and  good  works. 
And  if  nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine  plead  against  him, 
and  only  one  for  him,  he  is  saved  ;  as  it  is  said  (Job  xxxiii. 
23),  (<If  there  be  an  interceding  angel,  one  among  a  thou¬ 
sand  to  declare  for  man  his  uprightness,  then  He  is 

gracious  unto  him  and  saith,  Deliver  him  from  going 
down  to  the  pit.”  Shabbath ,  fol.  32,  col.  1. 

Rav  Hunna  says,  (<A  quarrel  is  like  a  breach  in  the 
bank  of  a  river  ;  when  it  is  once  made  it  grows  wider  and 

wider.  .  .  .  (<  A  certain  man  used  to  go  about  and  say, 

<(  Blessed  is  he  who  submits  to  a  reproach  and  is  silent,  for 
a  hundred  evils  depart  from  him.”  Shemuel  said  to  Rav 
Yehuda,  <(It  is  written  in  Scripture  (Prov.  xvii.  14),  (  The 
beginning  of  strife  is  as  when  one  letteth  out  water. }  ” 
Strife  is  the  beginning  of  a  hundred  lawsuits. 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  7,  col.  1. 

When  Solomon  married  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh,  she  in¬ 
troduced  to  him  a  thousand  different  kinds  of  musical  instru¬ 
ments,  and  taught  him  the  chants  to  the  various  idols. 

Shabbath ,  fol.  56,  col.  2. 

When  Buneis,  the  son  of  Buneis,  called  on  Rabbi  (the 
Holy),  the  latter  exclaimed,  (<  Make  way  for  one  worth  a 
hundred  manahs  !  ”  Presently  another  visitor  came,  and 
Rabbi  said,  (<  Make  way  for  one  worth  two  hundred  man¬ 
ahs.”  Upon  which  Rabbi  Ishmael,  the  son  of  Rabbi  Yossi, 
remonstrated,  saying,  <(  Rabbi,  the  father  of  the  first-comer, 
owns  a  thousand  ships  at  sea  and  a  thousand  towns  ashore  !  ” 
(<Well,”  replied  Rabbi,  <(  when  thou  seest  his  father,  tell 
him  to  send  his  son  better  clad  next  time.”  Rabbi  paid 
great  respect  to  those  that  were  rich,  and  so  did  Rabbi 
Akiva.  Eiruvin,  fol.  86,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Elazer  ben  Charsom  inherited  from  his  father  a 
thousand  towns  and  a  thousand  ships,  and  yet  he  went 
about  with  a  leather  sack  of  flour  at  his  back,  roaming  from 
town  to  town  and  from  province  to  province  in  order  to 
study  the  law.  This  great  Rabbi  never  once  set  eye  on  his 
immense  patrimony,  for  he  was  engaged  in  the  study  of  the 
law  all  day  and  all  night  long.  And  so  strange  was  he  to 


212 


THE  TALMUD 


his  own  servants,  that  they,  on  one  occasion,  not  knowing 
who  he  was,  pressed  him  against  his  will  to  do  a  day’s 
work  as  a  menial  ;  and  though  he  pleaded  with  them  as  a 
suppliant  to  be  left  alone  to  pursue  his  studies  in  the  law, 
they  refused,  and  swore,  saying,  (<  By  the  life  of  Rabbi 
Elazer  ben  Charsom,  our  master,  we  will  not  let  thee  go  till 
thy  task  is  completed. ”  He  then  let  himself  be  enforced 
rather  than  make  himself  known  to  them. 

Yoma ,  fol.  35,  col.  2. 

The  wife  of  Potiphar  coaxed  Joseph  with  loving  words, 
but  in  vain.  She  then  threatened  to  immure  him  in  prison, 
but  he  replied  (anticipating  Ps.  cxlvi.  7),  <(  The  Eord  looseth 
the  prisoners. ”  Then  she  said,  <(  I  will  bow  thee  down  with 
distress;  I  will  blind  thine  eyes.”  He  only  answered  ( ibid ., 
ver.  8),  <(  The  Eord  openeth  the  eyes  of  the  blind  and 
raiseth  them  that  are  bowed  down.”  She  then  tried  to 
bribe  him  with  a  thousand  talents  of  silver  if  he  would 
comply  with  her  request,  but  in  vain.  Ibid. 

A  Midrash  tells  us  that  Potiphar’ s  wife  not  only  falsely  accused 
Joseph  herself,  but  that  she  also  suborned  several  of  her  female  friends 
to  do  likewise.  The  Book  of  Jasher,  which  embodies  the  Talmudic 
story  quoted  above,  tells  us  that  an  infant  in  the  cradle  spoke  up  and 
testified  to  Joseph’s  innocence,  and  that  while  Joseph  was  in  prison 
his  inamorata  daily  visited  him.  More  on  this  topic  may  be  found  in 
the  Koran,  chap.  xii.  The  amours  of  Joseph  and  Zulieka,  as  told  by 
the  glib  tongue  of  tradition,  fitly  find  their  consummation  in  mar¬ 
riage,  and  certain  Moslems  affect  to  see  in  all  this  an  allegorical  type 
of  Divine  love,  an  allegory  which  some  other  divines  find  in  the  Song 
of  Solomon. 

The  thickness  of  the  earth  is  a  thousand  paces  or  ells. 

Succah ,  fol.  53,  col.  2. 

The  crust  of  the  earth  as  far  as  the  abyss  is  a  thousand  ells,  and 
the  abyss  under  the  earth  is  fifteen  thousand.  There  is  an  upper  and  a 
lower  abyss  mentioned  in  Taanith,  fol.  25,  col.  2.  Riddia,  the  angel 
who  has  the  command  of  the  waters,  and  resides  between  the  two 
abysses,  says  to  the  upper,  <(  disperse  thy  waters, w  and  to  the  lower, 
<(  let  thy  waters  flow  upd* 

Many  may  ask  after  thy  peace,  but  tell  thy  secret  only 
to  one  of  a  thousand.  Yevamoth ,  fol.  63,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  if  the  value  of  stolen  prop¬ 
erty  is  a  thousand,  and  the  thief  is  only  worth,  say,  five 


THE  TALMUD 


213 


hundred,  he  is  to  be  sold  into  slavery  twice.  But  if  the 
reverse,  he  is  not  to  be  sold  at  all. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  18,  col.  2. 

The  Behemoth  upon  a  thousand  hills  (Ps.  1.  10),  God 
created  them  male  and  female,  but  had  they  been  allowed 
to  propagate  they  would  have  destroyed  the  whole  world. 
What  did  He  do?  He  castrated  the  male  and  spayed  the 
female,  and  then  preserved  them  that  they  might  serve  for 
the  righteous  at  the  Messianic  banquet ;  as  it  is  said  (Job 
xl.  16),  (<His  strength  is  in  his  loins  (i.  e.,  the  male),  and 
his  force  in  the  navel  of  his  belly  (i.  e .,  the  female). 

Bava  Bathra ,  fol.  74,  col.  2. 

This  provision  for  the  coming  Messianic  banquet  is  considered  of 
sufficient  importance  to  be  mentioned  year  after  year  in  the  service 
for  the  Day  of  Atonement  and  also  at  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles.  The 
remark  of  D.  Levi,  that  the  feast  here  referred  to  is  to  be  under¬ 
stood  allegorically,  involves  rather  sweeping  consequences,  as  it  is 
open  to  any  one  to  annihilate  many  other  expectations  on  the  same 
principle. 

The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  will  add  to  Jerusalem 
gardens  extending  to  a  thousand  times  their  numerical  value, 
which  equals  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine,  etc. 

Ibid.,  fol.  75,  col.  2. 

<(  Moreover  Manasseh  shed  innocent  blood  very  much**  (2 
Kings  xxi.  16).  Here  (in  Babylon)  it  is  interpreted  to 
mean  that  he  murdered  Isaiah,  but  in  the  West  (i.  e.}  in 
Palestine)  they  say  that  he  made  an  image  of  the  weight 
of  a  thousand  men,  which  was  the  number  he  massacred 
every  day  (as  Rashi  says,  by  the  heaviness  of  its  weight). 

Sanhedrm,  fol.  103,  col.  2. 

See  Josephus,  Antiq.,  Book  X.  chap.  iii. ,  sec.  1,  for  corroborative 
evidence.  Tradition  says  that  Manasseh  caused  Isaiah  to  be  sawn 
asunder  with  a  wooden  saw.  (See  also  Yevamoth,  fol.  49,  col.  2 ; 
Sanhedrin,  fol.  103,  col.  2.) 

Nowhere  in  the  Talmud  do  we  find  the  name  of  the  great  image 
here  referred  to.  What  if  we  christen  it  the  (<  Juggernaut  of  the 
Talmud  ®  ?  May  the  tradition  not  be  a  prelusion  or  a  reflex  of  that 
man-crushing  monster  ?  Anyhow,  scholars  are  aware  of  a  community 
of  no  inconsiderable  extent  between  the  conceptions  and  legends  of 
the  Hindoos  and  the  Rabbis.  One  notable  contrast,  however,  be¬ 
tween  this  Juggernaut  and  that  of  the  Hindoos  is,  that  whereas  in 


214 


THE  TALMUD 


both  cases  the  innocent  suffered  for  the  guilty,  in  the  former  the 
sacrifices  were  exacted  to  propitiate  Satan,  while  in  the  latter  they 
were  freely  offered  in  supposed  propitiation  of  the  gods. 

The  food  consumed  by  Og,  king  of  Bashan,  consisted  of 
a  thousand  oxen  and  as  many  of  all  sorts  of  other  beasts, 
and  his  drink  consisted  of  a  thousand  measures,  etc. 

Sophrim ,  chap.  21,  mish.  9. 

Solomon  made  ten  candelabra  for  the  Temple ;  for  each 
he  set  aside  a  thousand  talents  of  gold,  which  he  refined  in 
a  crucible  until  they  were  reduced  to  the  weight  of  one 
talent.  Menaclioth ,  fol.  29,  col.  1. 

There  was  an  organ  in  the  Temple  which  produced  a 
thousand  kinds  of  melody.  Eirchin ,  fol.  11,  col.  1. 

The  Magrepha,  with  its  ten  pipes  and  its  ten-times-ten  various 
notes  (Eirchin,  fol.  10,  col.  2,  and  fol.  11,  col.  1),  which  was  said  to 
have  been  used  in  the  Temple  service,  must  have  been  an  instrument 
far  superior  to  any  organ  in  use  at  the  time  elsewhere. 

If  from  a  town  numbering  fifteen  hundred  footmen,  such, 
for  example,  as  the  village  of  Accho,  nine  people  be  borne 
forth  dead  in  the  course  of  three  successive  days,  it  is  a 
sure  sign  of  the  presence  of  the  plague  ;  but  if  this  happen 
in  one  day  or  in  four,  then  it  is  not  the  plague. 

Taanith ,  fol.  21,  col.  1. 

Seventeen  hundred  of  the  arguments  and  minute  rules  of 
the  Scribes  were  forgotten  during  the  days  of  mourning 
for  Moses.  Othniel,  the  son  of  Kenaz,  by  his  shrewd  ar¬ 
guing  restored  them  all  as  if  they  had  never  lapsed  from 
the  memory.  Temurah ,  fol.  16,  col.  1. 

There  was  a  great  court  at  Jerusalem  called  Beth  Yaa- 
zek,  where  all  witnesses  (who  could  testify  to  the  time  of 
the  appearance  of  the  new  moon)  used  to  assemble,  and 
where  they  were  examined  by  the  authorities.  Grand  feasts 
were  prepared  for  them  as  an  inducement  to  them  to  come 
(and  give  in  their  testimony).  Formerly  they  did  not 
move  from  the  place  they  happened  to  be  in  when  over¬ 
taken  by  the  Sabbath,  but  Rabbon  Gamliel  the  elder  or¬ 
dained  that  they  might  in  that  case  move  two  thousand 
cubits  either  way.  Rosh  Hashanah ,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 


THE  TALMUD 


215 


He  that  is  abroad  (on  the  Sabbath)  and  does  not  know 
the  limit  of  the  Sabbath  day’s  journey  may  walk  two 
thousand  moderate  paces,  and  that  is  a  Sabbath  day’s 
journey.  Eiruvin ,  fol.  42,  col.  1. 

Rabbon  Gamliel  had  a  hollow  tube,  through  which,  when 
he  looked,  he  could  distinguish  a  distance  of  two  thousand 
cubits,  whether  by  land  or  sea.  By  the  same  tube  he  could 
ascertain  the  depth  of  a  valley  or  the  height  of  a  palm 
tree.  Ibid.,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 

He  who  observes  carefully  the  precepts  respecting  fringes 
will,  as  a  reward,  have  two  thousand  eight  hundred  slaves 
to  wait  upon  him;  for  it  is  said  (Zech.  viii.  23),  “Thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts ;  In  those  days  it  shall  come  to 
pass  that  ten  men  shall  take  hold  out  of  all  languages  of 
the  nations,  even  shall  take  hold  of  the  skirt  of  him  that 
is  a  Jew,  saying,  We  will  go  with  you,  for  we  have  heard 
that  God  is  with  you.”  Shabbath ,  fol.  32,  col.  2. 

Rashi’s  explanation  of  this  matter  is  very  simple.  The  merit  of 
the  fringes  lies  in  their  being  duly  attached  to  <(  the  four  quarters }> 
or  skirts  of  the  garments  (Deut.  xxii.  12).  There  are  seventy  nations 
in  the  whole  world,  and  ten  of  each  nation  will  take  hold  of  each 
corner  of  the  garment,  which  gives  70  X  10  X  4  =  2800.  Rabbi  B’chai, 
commenting  on  Num.  xv.  39,  40,  repeats  the  same  story  almost  word 
for  word. 

This  passage  (Zech.  viii.  23)  has  lately  been  construed  by  some  into 
a  prophecy  of  the  recent  Berlin  Congress,  and  the  ten  men  mentioned 
are  found  in  the  representatives  of  the  contracting  parties,  i.  e.,  Eng¬ 
land,  France,  Germany,  Turkey,  Russia,  Austria,  Italy,  Greece,  Rou- 
mania,  and  Servia. 

Rav  Hamnunah  said,  “What  is  it  that  is  written  (1 
Kings  iv.  32),  (  And  he  spoke  three  thousand  proverbs,  and 
his  songs  were  a  thousand  and  five  >  ?  ”  It  is  intended  to 
teach  that  Solomon  uttered  three  thousand  proverbs  upon 
each  and  every  word  of  the  law,  and  for  every  word  of 
the  Scribes  he  assigned  a  thousand  and  five  reasons. 

Eiruvin ,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

When  Rabbi  Eliezer  was  sick  he  was  visited  by  Rabbi 
Akiva  and  his  party.  .  .  .  <(  Wherefore  have  ye 

come  ?  }>  he  asked.  (<  To  learn  the  law,”  was  the  reply. 
“  And  why  did  you  not  come  sooner  ?  ®  “  Because  we  had 


2l6 


THE  TALMUD 


no  leisure,  ”  said  they.  <(  I  shall  be  much  surprised, ”  said 
he,  <(if  you  die  a  natural  death.”  Then  turning  to  Rabbi 
Akiva  he  said,  (<  Thy  death  shall  be  the  worst  of  all.  ”  Then 
folding  his  arms  upon  his  breast,  he  exclaimed  :  <(Woe 
unto  my  two  arms  !  for  they  are  like  two  scrolls  of  the  law 
rolled  up,  so  that  their  contents  are  hidden.  Had  they 
waited  upon  me,  they  might  have  added  much  to  their 
knowledge  of  the  law,  but  now  that  knowledge  will  perish 
with  me.  I  have  in  my  time  learned  much  and  taught 
much,  and  yet  I  have  no  more  diminished  the  knowledge 
of  my  Rabbis  by  what  I  have  derived  from  them  than  the 
waters  of  the  sea  are  reduced  by  a  dog  lapping  them.  Over 
and  above  this  I  expounded  three  hundred,”  some  allege 
he  said  three  thousand,  <(  Halachahs  with  reference  to  the 
growing  of  Egyptian  cucumbers,  and  yet  no  one  except 
Akiva  ben  Yoseph  has  ever  proposed  a  single  question  to 
me  respecting  them.  He  and  I  were  walking  along  the 
road  one  day  when  he  asked  me  to  instruct  him  regarding 
the  cultivation  of  Egyptian  cucumbers.  I  made  but  one 
remark,  when  the  entire  field  became  full  of  them.  Then 
at  his  request  I  made  a  remark  about  cutting  them,  when 
lo  !  they  all  collected  themselves  together  in  one  spot.” 
Thus  Rabbi  Eliezer  kept  on  talking,  when  all  of  a  sudden 
he  fell  back  and  expired.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  68,  col.  i. 

The  last  words  of  this  eminent  Rabbi  derive  a  tragic  interest  from 
the  fact  that  he  died  while  under  sentence  of  excommunication. 

Three  thousand  Halachoth  were  forgotten  at  the  time  of 
mourning  for  Moses,  and  among  them  the  Halachah  re¬ 
specting  an  animal  intended  for  a  sin-offering  the  owner  of 
which  died  before  sacrificing  it. 

Temurah ,  fol.  16,  col.  i. 

All  the  prophets  were  rich  men.  This  we  infer  from  the 
account  of  Moses,  Samuel,  Amos,  and  Jonah.  Of  Moses, 
as  it  is  written  (Num.  xvi.  15),  (<  I  have  not  taken  one  ass 
from  them.”  Of  Samuel,  as  it  is  written  (1  Sam.  xii.  3), 
(<  Behold,  here  I  am  ;  witness  against  me  before  the  Lord, 
and  before  His  anointed,  whose  ox  have  I  taken?  or  whose 
ass  have  I  taken?”  Of  Amos,  as  it  is  written  (Amos  vii. 
14),  <(  I  was  an  herdsman  and  a  gatherer  of  sycamore  fruit,” 


THE  TALMUD 


217 


i.  e.}  I  am  proprietor  of  my  herds  and  own  sycamores  in  the 
valley.  Of  Jonah,  as  it  is  written  (Jonah  i.  3),  <(  So  he 
paid  the  fare  thereof  and  went  down  into  it.®  Rabbi  Yoc- 
hanan  says  he  hired  the  whole  ship.  Rabbi  Rumanus  says 
the  hire  of  the  ship  amounted  to  four  thousand  golden 
denarii.  Nedarim ,  fob  38,  col.  1. 

Four  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty-one  years  after  the 
creation  of  the  world,  if  any  one  offers  thee  for  one  single 
denarius  a  field  worth  a  thousand  denarii,  do  not  buy  it. 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  9,  cob  2. 

Raslii  gives  this  as  the  reason  of  the  prohibition  :  For  then  the  res¬ 
toration  of  the  Jews  to  their  own  land  will  take  place,  so  that  the 
denarius  paid  for  a  field  in  a  foreign  land  would  be  money  thrown 
away. 

Four  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-one  years  after 
the  creation  of  the  world  the  wars  of  the  dragons  and  the 
wars  of  Gog  and  Magog  will  cease,  and  the  rest  of  the  time 
will  be  the  days  of  the  Messiah ;  and  the  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He  !  —  will  not  renew  His  world  till  after  seven 
thousand  years.  .  .  .  Rabbi  Jonathan  said,  <(  May  the 

bones  of  those  who  compute  the  latter  days  (when  the  Mes¬ 
siah  shall  appear)  be  blown ;  for  some  say,  ( Because  the 
time  (of  Messiah)  has  come  and  Himself  has  not,  therefore 
He  will  never  come  ! >  But  wait  thou  for  Him,  as  it  is  said 
(Hab.  ii.  3),  ( Though  He  tarry,  wait  for  HimP  Perhaps 
you  will  say,  (  We  wait,  but  He  does  not  wait ;  y  learn 
rather  to  say  (Isa.  xxx.  18),  (And  therefore  will  the  Ford 
wait,  that  He  may  be  gracious  unto  you  ;  and  therefore  will 
He  be  exalted,  that  He  may  have  mercy  upon  you. >  ® 

Sanhedrin ,  fob  97,  cob  2. 

It  is  related  of  Rabbi  Tarphon  (probably  the  Tryphon  of 
polemic  fame)  that  he  was  very  rich,  but  gave  nothing  to 
the  poor.  Once  Rabbi  Akiva  met  him  and  said,  (<  Rabbi, 
dost  thou  wish  me  to  purchase  for  thee  a  town  or  two  ?  ® 
(<  I  do,®  said  he,  and  at  once  gave  him  four  thousand  gold 
denarii.  Rabbi  Akiva  took  this  sum  and  distributed  it 
among  the  poor.  Some  time  after  Rabbi  Tarphon  met 
Rabbi  Akiva  and  said,  “Where  are  the  towns  thou  pur- 
chasedst  for  me  ?  ®  The  latter  seized  hold  of  him  by  the 


2l8 


THE  TALMUD 


arm  and  led  him  to  the  Beth  Hamedrash,  where,  taking 
up  a  psalter,  they  read  together  till  they  came  to  this 
verse,  (<He  hath  dispersed,  he  hath  given  to  the  poor, 
his  righteousness  endureth  forever”  (Ps.  cxii.  9).  Here 
Rabbi  Akiva  paused  and  said ,  <(  This  is  the  place  I  pur¬ 
chased  for  thee,”  and  Rabbi  Tarphon  saluted  him  with  a 
kiss.  Tract .  Callah. 

The  Pentateuch  contains  five  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
eighty-eight  verses.  The  Psalms  have  eight  verses  more 
than,  and  the  Chronicles  eight  verses  short  of,  that  number. 

Kiddushin ,  fol.  30,  col.  1. 

The  number  of  verses  in  the  Pentateuch  is  usually  stated  at  5845, 
the  mnemonic  sign  of  which  is  a  word  in  Isaiah  xxx.  26,  the  letters 
of  which  stand  for  5845.  The  verse  reads,  <(  Moreover,  the  light  of 
the  moon  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun.^  The  Masorites  tell  us 
that  the  number  of  verses  in  the  Psalms  is  2527,  and  in  the  two 
Books  of  Chronicles  1656. 

The  world  is  to  last  six  thousand  years.  Two  thousand 
of  these  are  termed  the  period  of  disorder,  two  thousand  be¬ 
long  to  the  dispensation  of  the  law,  and  two  thousand 
are  the  days  of  the  Messiah ;  but  because  of  our  iniquities 
a  large  fraction  of  the  latter  term  is  already  passed  and 
gone  without  the  Messiah  giving  any  sign  of  His  appear¬ 
ing.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  97,  col.  1. 

As  the  land  of  Canaan  had  one  year  of  release  in  seven, 
so  has  the  world  one  millennium  of  release  in  seven  thou¬ 
sand  years;  for  it  is  said  (Isa.  ii.  17),  <(  And  the  Lord 
alone  will  be  exalted  in  that  day ;  ”  and  again  (Ps.  xcii. 
1),  (<  A  psalm  or  song  for  the  Sabbath  day,”  which  means 
a  long  Sabbatic  period;  and  again  (Ps.  xc.  4),  <(  For  a 
thousand  years  in  Thy  sight  are  but  as  the  day  of  yes¬ 
terday.”  Ibid. 

Tradition  records  that  the  ladder  (mentioned  Gen.  xxviii. 
12)  was  eight  thousand  miles  wide,  for  it  is  written, 
(( And  behold  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending 
upon  it.”  Angels  ascending,  being  in  the  plural,  cannot 
be  fewer  than  two  at  a  time,  and  so  likewise  must  those 
descending,  so  that  when  they  passed  they  were  four 
abreast  at  least.  In  Daniel  x.  6  it  is  said  of  the  angel, 


THE  TALMUD 


219 


(<  His  body  was  like  Tarshish/'  and  there  is  a  story  that 
Tarshish  extended  two  thousand  miles. 

Chullin ,  fob  91,  col.  2. 

The  tithes  from  the  herds  of  Blazer  ben  Azaryah 
amounted  to  twelve  thousand  calves  annually. 

Skabbath,  fol.  54,  col.  2. 

It  is  said  that  Rabbi  Akiva  had  twelve  thousand  pairs  of 
disciples  dispersed  about  between  Gabbath  and  Antipatris, 
and  all  of  them  died  within  a  short  period  because 
they  paid  no  honor  to  one  another.  The  land  was  then 
desolate  until  Rabbi  Akiva  came  among  our  Rabbis  of  the 
south  and  taught  the  law  to  Rabbis  Meir,  Yehudah,  Yossi, 
Shimon,  and  Blazer  ben  Shamua,  who  re-established  its 
authority.  Yevamoth ,  fol.  26,  col.  2. 

After  a  lapse  of  twelve  years,  he  returned  accompanied 
by  twelve  thousand  disciples,  etc. 

Ravah  bar  Nachmaini  was  impeached  for  depriving  the 
revenue  of  the  poll-tax  on  twelve  thousand  Jews,  by  de¬ 
taining  them  annually  at  his  academy  for  one  month  in 
the  spring,  and  for  another  month  in  the  autumn ;  for  great 
multitudes  from  various  parts  of  the  country  were  wont,  at 
the  two  seasons  of  the  Passover  and  the  Feast  of  Taber¬ 
nacles,  to  come  to  hear  him  preach,  so  that  when  the 
king’s  officers  came  to  collect  the  taxes  they  found  none  of 
them  at  home.  A  royal  messenger  was  accordingly  des¬ 
patched  to  apprehend  him,  but  he  failed  to  find  him,  for 
the  Rabbi  fled  to  Pumbeditha,  and  from  thence  to  Akra, 
to  Agmi,  Sichin,  Zeripha,  Bin  d’Maya,  and  back  again  to 
Pumbeditha.  Arrived  at  this  place,  both  the  royal  messen¬ 
ger  and  the  fugitive  Rabbi  happened  to  put  up  at  the  same 
inn.  Two  cups  were  placed  before  the  former  on  a  table, 
when,  strange  to  say,  after  he  had  drunk  and  the  table 
was  removed,  his  face  was  forcibly  turned  round  to  his 
back.  (This  was  done  by  evil  spirits  because  he  drank 
even  numbers  —  against  which  we  are  earnestly  warned  in 
P'sachim ,  fol.  no,  col.  1.)  The  inn-keeper,  fearing  the 
consequences  of  such  a  misfortune  happening  to  so  high 
an  official  at  his  inn,  sought  advice  of  the  lurking  Rabbi, 
when  the  latter  suggested  that  the  table  be  placed  again 


220 


THE  TALMUD 


before  him  with  one  cup  only  on  it,  and  thus  the  even 
number  would  become  odd,  and  his  face  would  return  to 
its  natural  position.  They  did  so,  and  it  was  as  the  Rabbi 
had  said.  The  official  then  remarked  to  his  host,  <(  I  know 
the  man  I  want  is  here,^  and  he  hastened  and  found  him. 
<(  If  I  knew  for  certain, he  said  to  the  Rabbi,  <(  that  thy 
escape  would  cost  my  life  only,  I  would  let  thee  go,  but  I 
fear  bodily  torture,  and  therefore  I  must  secure  theeP* 
And  thereupon  he  locked  him  up.  Upon  this  the  Rabbi 
prayed,  till  the  prison  walls  miraculously  giving  way  he 
made  his  escape  to  Agma,  where  he  seated  himself  at  the 
root  of  a  tree  and  gave  himself  up  to  meditation.  While 
thus  engaged  he  all  at  once  heard  a  discussion  in  the 
academy  of  heaven  on  the  subject  of  the  hair  mentioned  in 
Lev.  xiii.  25.  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  declared 
the  case  to  be  <(  clean, ®  but  the  whole  academy  were  of  a 
different  opinion,  and  declared  the  case  to  be  <(  unclean.  ^ 
The  question  then  arose,  (( Who  shall  decide  ? )y  <(  Ravah 
bar  Nachmaini  shall  decide, )y  was  the  unanimous  reply, 
<(  for  he  said,  ( I  am  one  in  matters  of  leprosy  ;  I  am  one 
in  questions  about  tents ;  and  there  is  none  to  equal  me. > }) 
Then  the  angel  of  death  was  sent  for  to  bring  him  up,  but 
he  was  unable  to  approach  him,  because  the  Rabbi’s  lips 
never  ceased  repeating  the  law  of  the  Lord.  The  angel  of 
death  thereupon  assumed  the  appearance  of  a  troop  of 
cavalry,  and  the  Rabbi,  apprehesive'j  of  being  seized  and 
carried  off,  exclaimed,  (<  I  would  rather  die  through  that 
one  (meaning  the  angel  of  death)  than  be  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  Government  ! )}  At  that  very  instant  he 
was  asked  to  decide  the  question  in  dispute,  and  just  as 
the  verdict  <(  clean  w  issued  from  his  lips  his  soul  departed 
from  his  body,  and  a  voice  was  heard  from  heaven  pro¬ 
claiming,  <(  Blessed  art  thou,  Ravah  bar  Nachmaini,  for 
thy  body  is  clean.  (  Clean  y  was  the  word  on  thy  lips  when 
thy  spirit  departed. })  Then  a  scroll  fell  down  from  heaven 
into  Pumbeditha  announcing  that  Ravah  bar  Nachmaini 
was  admitted  into  the  academy  of  heaven.  Apprised  of 
this,  Abaii,  in  company  with  many  other  Rabbis,  went  in 
search  of  the  body  to  inter  it,  but  not  knowing  the  spot 
where  he  lay,  they  went  to  Agma,  -where  they  noticed  a 


THE  TALMUD 


221 


great  number  of  birds  hovering  in  the  air,  and  concluded 
that  the  shadow  of  their  wings  shielded  the  body  of  the 
departed.  There,  accordingly,  they  found  and  buried  him  ; 
and  after  mourning  three  days  and  three  nights  over  his 
grave,  they  arose  to  depart,  when  another  scroll  descended 
threatening  them  with  excommunication  if  they  did  so. 
They  therefore  continued  mourning  for  seven  days  and 
seven  nights,  when,  at  the  end  of  these,  a  third  scroll  de¬ 
scended  and  bade  them  go  home  in  peace.  On  the  day  of 
the  death  of  this  Rabbi  there  arose,  it  is  said,  such  a  mighty 
tempest  in  the  air  that  an  Arab  merchant  and  the  camel 
on  which  he  was  riding  were  blown  bodily  over  from  one 
side  of  the  river  Pappa  to  the  other.  (<What  meaneth  such 
a  storm  as  this  ?  *  cried  the  merchant,  as  he  lay  on  the 
ground.  A  voice  from  heaven  answered,  (<  Ravah  bar 
Nachmaini  is  dead.^  Then  he  pra3^ed  and  fled,  c(  Lord  of 
the  universe,  the  whole  world  is  Thine,  and  Ravah  bar 
Nachmaini  is  Thine  !  Thou  art  Ravah’s  and  Ravah  is 
Thine  ;  but  wherefore  wilt  Thou  destroy  the  world  ?  })  On 
this  the  storm  immediately  abated,  and  there  was  a  perfect 
calm.  Bava  Metzia,  fol.  86,  col.  i. 

The  above  seems  to  be  a  Rabbinical  satire  on  the  Talmud  itself 
although  the  orthodox  Jews  believe  that  every  word  in  it  is  historically 
true.  Well,  perhaps  it  is  so  ;  and  we  outsiders  are  ignorant,  and 
without  the  means  of  judging. 

Now  we  know  what  God  does  during  the  day,  but  how 
does  He  occupy  Himself  in  the  night-time?  We  may  say 
He  does  the  same  as  at  day-time  ;  or  that  during  the 
night  He  rides  on  a  swift  cherub  over  eighteen  thousand 
worlds;  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  lxviii.  17),  (<  The  chariots  of 
God  are  twenty  thousand, less  two  thousand  Shinan ;  read 
not  Shinan  but  She-einan,  i.  e. ,  two  thousand  less  than 
twenty  thousand,  therefore  eighteen  thousand. 

Avodah  Zarah ,  fol.  3.  col.  2. 

Prince  Contrukos  asked  Rabbon  Yochanan  ben  Zacchaj 
how,  when  the  detailed  enumeration  of  the  Tevites  amounted 
to  twenty-two  thousand  three  hundred  (the  Gershonites, 
7500 ;  the  Kohathites,  8600  ;  the  Merarites,  6200,  making 
in  all  22,300),  the  sum  total  given  is  only  twenty-two 


222 


THE  TALMUD 


thousand,  omitting  the  three  hundred,  <(  Was  Moses,  your 
Rabbi,®  he  asked,  (<  a  cheat  or  a  bad  calculator?®  He  an¬ 
swered,  <(  They  were  first-borns,  and  therefore  could  not  be 
substitutes  for  the  first-born  of  Israel.® 

Bechoroth,  fol.  5,  col.  1. 

(<  And  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  did  him  honor  at  his 
death  ®  (2  Chron.  xxxii.  33).  This  is  Hezekiah,  king  of 
Judah,  at  .whose  funeral  thirty-six  thousand  people  attended 
bare-shouldered,  .  .  .  and  upon  his  bier  was  laid  a  roll 
of  the  law,  and  it  was  said,  <(  This  man  has  fulfilled  what 
is  written  in  this  book.®  Bava  Kama ,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

Sennacherib  the  wicked  invaded  Jewry  with  forty-five 
thousand  princes  in  golden  coronets,  and  they  had  with 
them  their  wives  and  odalisques ;  also  eighty  thousand 
mighty  men  clad  in  mail  and  sixty  thousand  swordsmen 
ran  before  him,  and  the  rest  were  cavalry.  With  a  similar 
army  they  came  against  'Abraham,  and  a  like  force  is  to 
come  up  with  Gog  and  Magog.  A  tradition  teaches  that  the 
extent  of  his  camp  was  four  hundred  parsaes  or  leagues, 
the  extent  of  the  horses’  necks  were  forty  parsaes.  The 
total  muster  of  his  army  was  two  hundred  and  sixty 
myriads  of  thousands,  less  one.  Abaii  asked,  <(  Bess  one 
myriad,  or  one  thousand,  or  one  hundred  ?  or  more  literally 
less  one  ?  ®  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  95,  col.  2. 

In  the  immediate  context  of  the  above  extract  we  have 
the  following  legend  concerning  Sennacherib: — As  Rabbi 
Abhu  has  said,  <(  Were  it  not  for  this  Scripture  text  it 
would  be  impossible  to  repeat  what  is  written  (Isa.  vii.  20), 

( In  the  same  day  shall  the  Uord  shave  with  a  razor  that 
is  hired,  by  them  beyond  the  river,  by  the  king  of  Assyria, 
the  head  and  the  hair  of  the  feet  ;  and  it  shall  also  con¬ 
sume  the  beard. >  ®  The  story  is  this:  —  The  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He! — once  disguised  Himself  as  an  elderly  man 
and  came  to  Sennacherib,  and  said,  <(  When  thou  comest  to 
the  kings  of  the  Bast  and  of  the  West,  to  force  their  sons 
into  thine  army,  what  wilt  thou  say  unto  them  ?  ®  He  replied, 
<{  On  that  very  account  I  am  in  fear.  What  shall  I  do  ?  ®  God 
answered  him,  ((  Go  and  disguise  thyself.®  (<  How  can  I  dis¬ 
guise  myself  ?  ®  said  he.  God  replied,  (<  Go  and  fetch  me  a  pair 


THE  TALMUD 


223 


of  scissors  and  I  will  cut  thy  hair.”  Sennacherib  asked, 
<(  Whence  shall  I  fetch  them  ?  ”  (<  Go  to  yonder  house  and 

bring  them.”  He  went  accordingly  and  observed  a  pair,  but 
there  he  met  the  ministering  angels  disguised  as  men, 
grinding  date-stones.  He  asked  them  for  the  scissors,  but 
they  said  <(  Grind  thou  first  a  measure  of  date-stones,  and 
then  thou  shalt  have  the  scissors.”  He  did  as  he  was  told, 
and  so  obtained  the  scissors.  It  was  dark  before  he  re¬ 
turned,  and  God  said  unto  him,  (<  Go  and  fetch  some  fire.” 
This  also  he  did,  but  while  blowing  the  embers  his  beard 
was  singed.  Upon  which  God  came  and  shaved  his  head 
and  his  beard,  and  said,  (<  This  is  it  which  is  written  (Isa. 
vii.  20),  ( It  shall  also  consume  the  beard. >”  Rav  Pappa 
says  this  is  the  proverb  current  among  the  people,  <(  Singe 
the  face  of  a  Syrian,  and,  if  it  pleases  him,  also  set  his 
beard  in  fire,  and  thou  wilt  not  be  able  to  laugh  enough.” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  95,  col.  2,  and  fol.  96,  col.  1. 

(<  He  hath  cut  off  in  His  fierce  anger  all  the  horn  of 
Israel,”  etc.  (Lam.  ii.  3).  These  are  the  eighty  thousand 
war-horns  or  battering-rams  that  entered  the  city  of  Byther, 
in  which  he  massacred  so  many  men,  women,  and  children, 
that  their  blood  ran  like  a  river  and  flowed  into  the 
Mediterranean  Sea,  wdiich  was  a  mile  away  from  the  place. 

Gittin,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

That  mule  had  a  label  attached  to  his  neck  on  which  it 
was  stated  that  its  breeding  cost  a  hundred  thousand  zouzim. 

Bechoroth,  fol.  8,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yossi  said,  (( I  have  seen  Sepphoris  (Cyprus)  in 
the  days  of  its  prosperity,  and  there  were  in  it  a  hundred 
and  eighty  thousand  marts  for  sauces.” 

Bava  Batlira ,  fol.  75,  col.  2. 

Rav  Assi  said  three  hundred  thousand  swordsmen  went 
up  to  the  Royal  Mount  and  there  slaughtered  the  people 
for  three  days  and  three  nights,  and  yet  while  on  the  one 
side  of  the  mount  they  were  mourning,  on  the  other  they 
were  merry  ;  those  on  the  one  side  did  not  know  the  affairs 
of  those  on  the  other.  Gittin,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

A  certain  disciple  prayed  before  Rabbi  Chanina,  and 
said,  <(  O  God  !  who  art  great,  mighty,  formidable,  magnifi- 


224 


THE  TALMUD 


cent,  strong,  terrible,  valiant,  powerful,  real  and  honored  !  * 
He  waited  until  he  had  finished,  and  then  said  to  him, 
<(  Hast  thou  ended  all  the  praises  of  thy  God?  Need  we 
enumerate  so  many  ?  As  for  us,  even  the  three  terms  of 
praise  which  we  usually  repeat,  we  should  not  dare  to 
utter  had  not  Moses,  our  master,  pronounced  them  in  the 
law  (Deut.  x.  17),  and  had  not  the  men  of  the  Great 
Synagogue  ordained  them  for  prayer ;  and  yet  thou  hast 
repeated  so  many  and  still  seemest  inclined  to  go  on.  It 
is  as  if  one  were  to  compliment  a  king  because  of  his 
silver,  who  is  master  of  a  thousand  thousands  of  gold 
denarii.  Wouldst  thou  think  that  becoming  ?  * 

Berachoth,  fol.  33,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Yossi  ben  Kisma  relates,  <(  I  once  met  a  man  in 
my  travels  and  we  saluted  one  another.  In  reply  to  a 
question  of  his  I  said,  (  I  am  from  a  great  city  of  sages 
and  scribes. >  Upon  this  he  offered  me  a  thousand  thou¬ 
sand  golden  denarii,  and  precious  stones  and  pearls,  if  I 
would  agree  to  go  and  dwell  in  his  native  place.  But  I 
replied,  saying,  ( If  thou  wert  to  give  me  all  the  gold  and 
silver,  all  the  precious  stones  and  pearls  in  the  world,  I 
would  not  reside  anywhere  else  than  in  the  place  where  the 
law  is  studied.*  })  Avoth ,  chap.  6. 

Thousands  on  thousands  in  Israel  were  named  after 
Aaron  ;  for  had  it  not  been  for  Aaron  these  thousands  of 
thousands  would  not  have  been  born.  Aaron  went  about 
making  peace  between  quarreling  couples,  and  those  who 
were  born  after  the  reconciliation  were  regularly  named 
after  him.  Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan ,  chap.  12. 

It  is  related  by  the  Rabbis  that  Rabbon  Yochanan  ben 
Zacchai  was  once  riding  out  of  Jerusalem  accompanied  by 
his  disciples,  when  he  saw  a  young  woman  picking  barley 
out  of  the  dung  on  the  road.  On  his  asking  her  name, 
she  told  him  that  she  was  the  daughter  of  Nikodemon  ben 
Gorion.  (<  What  has  become  of  thy  father’s  riches  ? *  said 
he,  (<  and  what  has  become  of  thy  dowry  ?  ®  (<  Dost  thou 

not  remember, *  said  she,  (<  that  charity  is  the  salt  of 
riches ?)}  (Her  father  had  not  been  noted  for  this  virtue.) 
K  Dost  thou  not  remember  signing  my  marriage  contract  ?  ** 


THE  TALMUD 


225 


said  the  woman.  “Yes,”  said  the  Rabbi,  “I  well  remem¬ 
ber  it.  It  stipulated  for  a  million  gold  denarii  from  thy 
father,  besides  the  allowance  from  thy  husband,”  etc. 

Kethuboth,  fol.  66,  col.  2. 

Abba  Benjamin  says,  <(  If  our  eye  were  permitted  to  see 
the  malignant  sprites  that  beset  us,  we  could  not  rest  on 
account  of  them.  ”  Abaii  has  said,  <(  They  out-number  us, 
they  surround  us  as  the  earthed-up  soil  on  our  garden- 
beds.”  Rav  Hunna  says,  “Every  one  has  a  thousand  at 
his  left  side  and  ten  thousand  at  his  right”  (Ps.  xci.  7). 
Rava  adds,  “  The  crowding  at  the  schools  is  caused  by 
their  pushing  in  ;  they  cause  the  weariness  which  the  Rab¬ 
bis  experience  in  their  knees,  and  even  tear  their  clothes 
by  hustling  against  them.  If  one  would  discover  traces 
of  their  presence,  let  him  sift  some  ashes  upon  the  floor  at 
his  bedside,  and  next  morning  he  will  see,  as  it  were,  the 
footmarks  of  fowls  on  the  surface.  But  if  one  would  see 
the  demons  themselves,  he  must  burn  to  ashes  the  after¬ 
birth  of  a  first-born  black  kitten,  the  offspring  of  a  first¬ 
born  black  cat,  and  then  put  a  little  of  the  ashes  into  his 
eyes,  and  he  will  not  fail  to  see  them,”  etc.,  etc. 

Berachoth ,  fol.  6,  col.  1. 

In  each  camp  there  are  suspended  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  myriads  of  stars,  etc. 

Agrippa,  being  anxious  to  ascertain  the  number  of  the 
male  population  of  Israel,  instructed  the  priest  to  take  ac¬ 
curate  note  of  the  Paschal  lambs.  On  taking  account  of 
the  kidneys,  it  was  found  that  there  were  sixty  myriad 
couples  (which  indicated)  double  the  number  of  those  that 
came  up  out  of  Egypt,  not  reckoning  those  that  were 
ceremonially  unclean  and  those  that  were  out  traveling. 
There  was  not  a  Paschal  lamb  in  which  less  than  ten 
had  a  share,  so  that  the  number  represented  over  six  hun¬ 
dred  myriads  of  men.  P' sachim,  fol.  64,  col.  2. 

<(  It  is  unlawful  to  enumerate  Israel  even  with  a  view  to  a  merito¬ 
rious  deed^  (  Yoma ,  fol.  22,  col.  2).  From  Rashi’s  comment  on  the 
former  text  it  seems  that  the  priest  merely  held  up  the  duplicate  kid¬ 
neys,  upon  which  the  king’s  agent  regularly  laid  aside  a  pea  or  a 
pebble  into  a  small  heap,  which  were  afterwards  counted  up.  See 
also  Josephus,  Book  VI.  chap.  ix.  sec.  3. 

15 


226 


THE  TALMUD 


It  might  not  be  amiss  to  remind  the  reader  in  passing  that  if  one 
were  to  reckon  one  hundred  per  minute  for  ten  hours  a  day,  it  would 
take  no  less  than  sixteen  days  six  hours  forty  minutes  to  count  a 
million ;  and  that  it  would  take  twenty  men,  reckoning  at  the  same 
rate,  to  sum  up  the  total  number  stated  in  the  text  in  one  day,  so  as 
to  ascertain  that  there  were  1,200,000  sacrifices  at  the  Passover  under 
notice,  representing  no  less  than  12,000,000  celebrants. 

At  the  time  when  Israel  in  their  eagerness  first  said, 
<(  We  will  do,”  and  then,  <(  We  will  hear”  (Exod.  xxix.  7), 
there  came  sixty  myriads  of  ministering  angels  to  crown 
each  Israelite  with  two  crowns,  one  for  (<  we  will  do  ”  and 
one  for  <(we  will  hear.”  But  when  after  this  Israel  sinned, 
there  came  down  a  hundred  and  twenty  myraids  of  destroy¬ 
ing  angels  and  took  the  crowns  away  from  them,  as  it  is 
said  (Exod.  xxxiii.  6),  <(And  the  children  of  Israel  stripped 
themselves  of  their  ornaments  by  Mount  Horeb.  ”  Resh 
Eakish  says,  <(  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He! — will,  in 
the  future,  return  them  to  us;  for  it  is  said  (Isa.  xxxv.  10), 
f  The  ransomed  of  the  Eord  shall  return  and  come  to  Zion 
with  songs  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads, >  i.  e .,  the 
joy  they  had  in  days  of  yore,  upon  their  heads.” 

Shabbath ,  fol.  88,  col.  1. 

Let  no  one  venture  out  alone  at  night-time  on  Wednes¬ 
days  and  Saturdays,  for  Agrath,  the  daughter  of  Machloth, 
roams  about  accompanied  by  eighteen  myriads  of  evil 
genii,  each  one  of  which  has  power  to  destroy. 

P sachim,  fol.  112,  col.  2. 

It  is  related  of  Rabbi  Elazar  ben  Charsom  that  his  mother 
made  him  a  shirt  which  cost  two  myriads  of  manahs,  but  his 
fellow-priests  would  not  allow  him  to  wear  it,  because  he 
appeared  in  it  as  though  he  were  naked. 

Yoma,  fol.  35,  col.  2. 

He  who  has  not  seen  the  double  gallery  of  the  Synagogue 
in  Alexandria  of  Egypt,  has  not  seen  the  glory  of  Israel. 

.  .  .  There  were  seventy-one  seats  arranged  in  it  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  number  of  the  seventy-one  members  of  the 
greater  Sanhedrin,  each  seat  of  no  less  value  than  twenty- 
one  myriads  of  golden  talents.  A  wooden  pulpit  was  in 
the  centre,  upon  which  stood  the  reader  holding  a  Su- 
darium  (a  kind  of  flag)  in  his  hand,  w7hich  he  waved  when 


THE  TALMUD 


227 


the  vast  congregation  were  required  to  say  Amen  at  the 
end  of  any  benediction,  which,  of  course,  it  was  impossible 
for  all  to  hear  in  so  stupendous  a  synagogue.  The  congre¬ 
gation  did  not  sit  promiscuously,  but  in  guilds  ;  goldsmiths 
apart,  silversmiths  apart,  blacksmiths,  coppersmiths,  embroid¬ 
erers,  weavers,  etc. ,  all  apart  from  each  other.  When  a 
poor  craftsman  came  in,  he  took  his  seat  among  the  people 
of  his  guild,  who  maintained  him  till  he  found  employ¬ 
ment.  Abaii  says  all  this  immense  population  was  mas¬ 
sacred  by  Alexander  of  Macedon.  Why  were  they  thus 
punished  ?  Because  they  transgressed  the  Scripture,  which 
says  (Deut.  xvii.  16),  (<Ye  shall  henceforth  return  no  more 
that  way.®  Succah ,  fol.  51,  col.  2. 

The  Rabbis  teach  that  during  a  prosperous  year  in  the 
land  of  Israel,  a  place  sown  with  a  measure  of  seed  pro¬ 
duces  five  myriad  cors  (a  cor  being  equal  to  thirty  mea¬ 
sures).  Kethuboth ,  fol.  112,  col.  1. 

Rav  Ulla  was  once  asked,  <(  To  what  extent  is  one  bound 
to  honor  his  father  and  mother  ?  ®  To  which  he  replied, 
<(  See  what  a  Gentile  of  Askelon  once  did,  Dammah  ben 
Nethina  by  name.  The  sages  one  day  required  goods  to 
the  value  of  sixty  myriads,  for  which  they  were  ready  to 
pay  the  price,  but  the  key  of  the  store-room  happened 
to  be  under  the  pillow  of  his  father,  who  was  fast  asleep, 
and  Dammah  would  not  disturb  him.®  Rabbi  Eliezer  was 
once  asked  the  same  question,  and  he  gave  the  same  an¬ 
swer,  adding  an  interesting  fact  to  the  illustration  :  <(  The 

sages  were  seeking  after  precious  stones  for  the  high 
priest’s  breastplate,  to  the  value  of  some  sixty  or  eighty 
myriads  of  golden  denarii,  but  the  key  of  the  jewel-chest 
happened  to  be  under  the  pillow  of  his  father,  who  was 
asleep  at  the  time,  and  he  would  not  wake  him.  In  the 
following  year,  however,  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  — 
rewarded  him  with  the  birth  of  a  red  heifer  among  his 
herds,  for  which  the  sages  readily  paid  him  such  a  sum  as 
compensated  him  fully  for  the  loss  he  sustained  in  honor¬ 
ing  his  parent.®  Kiddushin ,  fol.  31,  col.  1. 

<(The  Lord  hath  swallowed  up  all  the  habitations  of  Ja¬ 
cob®  (Lam.  ii.  2).  Ravin  came  to  Babylon  and  said  in  the 


223 


THE  TALMUD 


name  of  Rabbi  Yoclianan,  <(  These  are  the  sixty  myriads  of 
cities  which  King  Yannai  (Jannseus)  possessed  on  the  royal 
mount.  The  population  of  each  equalled  the  number  that 
wrent  up  out  of  Egypt,  except  that  of  three  cities  in  wThich  that 
number  wTas  doubled.  And  these  three  cities  were  Caphar 
Bish  (literally,  the  village  of  evil),  so  called  because  there 
was  no  hospice  for  the  reception  of  strangers  therein  ;  Ca¬ 
phar  Shichlaiim  (village  of  water-cresses),  so  called  because 
it  was  chiefly  on  that  herb  that  the  people  subsisted  ;  Caphar 
Dichraya  (the  village  of  male  children),  so  called,  says 
Rabbi  Yochanan,  because  its  women  first  gave  birth  to 
boys,  and  afterward  to  girls,  and  then  left  off  bearing.  w 
Ulla  said,  (<  I  have  seen  that  place,  and  am  sure  that  it  could 
not  hold  sixty  myriads  of  sticks. A  Sadducee  upon  this  said 
to  Rabbi  Chanina,  <(Ye  do  not  speak  the  truth. ®  The  re¬ 
sponse  was,  <(  It  is  wnitten  (Jer.  iii.  19),  ( The  inheritance 
of  a  deer/  as  the  skin  of  a  deer,  unoccupied  by  the  body 
of  the  animal,  shrinks,  so  also  the  land  of  Israel,  unoccu¬ 
pied  by  its  rightful  owners,  became  contracted. n 

Gittin ,  fol.  57,  col.  1. 

Rabbi  Yoshua,  the  son  of  Korcha,  relates :  <(  An  aged 

inhabitant  of  Jerusalem  once  told  me  that  in  this  valley  two 
hundred  and  eleven  thousand  myriads  were  massacred  by 
Nebuzaradan,  captain  of  the  guard,  and  in  Jerusalem  itself 
he  slaughtered  upon  one  stone  ninety-four  myriads,  so  that 
the  blood  flowed  till  it  touched  the  blood  of  Zachariah,  that 
it  might  be  fulfilled  which  is  said  (Hos.  ii.  4),  ( And  blood 
toucheth  blood/  When  he  saw  the  blood  of  Zachariah,  and 
noticed  that  it  was  boiling  and  agitated,  he  asked,  (  What 
is  this  ?  >  and  he  was  told  that  it  was  the  spilled  blood  of 
the  sacrifices.  Then  he  ordered  blood  from  the  sacrifices  to 
be  brought  and  compared  it  with  the  blood  of  the  murdered 
prophet,  when,  finding  the  one  unlike  the  other,  he  said, 
( If  ye  tell  me  the  truth,  well  and  good  ;  if  not,  I  will  comb 
your  flesh  with  iron  currycombs  !  >  Upon  this  they  con¬ 
fessed,  (  He  was  a  prophet,  and  because  he  rebuked  us  on 
matters  of  religion,  we  arose  and  killed  him,  and  it  is  now 
some  years  since  his  blood  has  been  in  the  restless  condition 
in  which  thou  seest  it.*  ( Well/  said  he,  (I  will  pacify 
him.*  He  then  brought  the  greater  and  lesser  Sanhedrin 


THE  TALMUD 


229 


and  slaughtered  them,  but  the  blood  of  the  prophet  did  not 
rest.  He  next  slaughtered  young  men  and  maidens,  but 
the  blood  continued  restless  as  before.  He  finally  brought 
school-children  and  slaughtered  them,  but  the  blood  being 
still  unpacified,  he  exclaimed,  ( Zachariah  !  Zachariah  !  I 
have  for  thy  sake  killed  the  best  among  them  ;  will  it 

please  thee  if  I  kill  them  all  ? y  As  he  said  this  the  blood 

of  the  prophet  stood  still  and  quiescent.  He  then  reasoned  * 

within  himself  thus,  ( If  the  blood  of  one  individual  has 

brought  about  so  great  a  punishment,  how  much  greater 
will  my  punishment  be  for  the  slaughter  of  so  many  ! y  In 
short,  he  repented,  fled  from  his  house,  and  became  a  Jew¬ 
ish  proselyte. ”  Gittin ,  fol.  57,  col.  2. 

The  same  story  is  repeated  in  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  96,  col.  2,  with  some 
variations  ;  notably  this,  among  others,  that  it  was  because  the  prophet 
prophesied  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  that  they  put  him  to  death. 

(Gen.  xxvii.  2),  <(The  voice  is  the  voice  of  Jacob,  but 
the  hands  are  the  hands  of  Esau.”  The  first-named  (<  voice” 
alludes  to  the  voice  of  lamentation  caused  by  Hadrian,  who 
had  at  Alexandria  in  Egypt  massacred  twice  the  number  of 
Jews  that  had  come  forth  under  Moses.  The  <(  voice  of 
Jacob  ”  refers  to  a  similar  lamentation  occasioned  by  Ves¬ 
pasian,  who  put  to  death  in  the  city  of  Byther  four  hundred 
myriads,  or,  as  some  say,  four  thousand  myriads.  <(  The 
hands  are  the  hands  of  Esau,”  that  is,  the  empire  which 
destroyed  our  house,  burned  our  Temple,  and  banished  us 
from  our  country.  Or  the  <(  voice  of  Jacob”  means  that 
there  is  no  effectual  praj^er  that  is  not  offered  up  by  the 
progeny  of  Jacob;  and  <(  the  hands  are  the  hands  of  Esau,” 
that  there  is  no  victorious  battle  which  is  not  fought  by 
the  descendants  of  Esau.  Ibid . 

Tamar  and  Zimri  both  committed  fornication.  The  former 
(actuated  by  a  good  motive,  see  Gen.  xxxviii.  26)  became 
the  ancestress  of  kings  and  prophets.  The  latter  brought 
about  the  destruction  of  myriads  in  Israel.  Rav  Nachman 
bar  Yitzchak  says,  (<To  do  evil  from  a  good  motive  is  bet¬ 
ter  than  observing  the  law  from  a  bad  one”  (e.  g.,  Tamar 
and  Zimri,  Lot  and  his  daughters). 


Nazir ,  fol.  23,  col.  2. 


230 


THE  TALMUD 


The  Rabbis  have  taught  that  the  text,  <(  And  when  it 
rested,  he  said,  Return,  0  Lord,  to  the  myriads  and  thou¬ 
sands  of  Israel  **  (Num.  x.  36),  intimates  that  the  Shechinah 
does  not  rest  upon  less  than  two  myriads  and  two  thousands 
(two  being  the  minimum  plural^).  Suppose  one  of  the 
twenty-two  thousand  neglect  the  duty  of  procreation,  is  he 
not  the  cause  of  the  Shechinah’s  departure  from  Israel? 

Yevaynoth ,  fol.  64,  col.  1. 

<(  And  place  over  them  to  be  rulers  of  thousands,  and 
rulers  of  hundreds,  and  rulers  of  fifties,  and  rulers  of 
tens**  (Exod.  xviii.  21).  The  rulers  of  thousands  were  six 
hundred  in  number,  the  rulers  of  hundreds  six  thousand,  of 
fifties  twelve  thousand,  and  rulers  of  tens  six  myriads.  The 
total  number  of  rulers  in  Israel,  therefore,  was  seven  myr¬ 
iad  eight  thousand  six  hundred.  Sanhedrin ,  fol.  18,  col.  1. 

Once  upon  a  time  the  people  of  Egypt  appeared  before 
Alexander  of  Macedon  to  complain  of  Israel.  <(It  is  said 
(Exod.  xii.  36),  they  argued,  (The  Lord  gave  the  people 
favor  in  the  sight  of  the  Egyptians,  so  that  they  lent 
unto  them,*  etc.;**  and  they  prayed,  (<  Give  us  now  back 
the  gold  and  the  silver  that  ye  took  from  us. **  Givia  ben 
Pesisa  said  to  the  wise  men  (of  Israel),  ((  Give  me  permis¬ 
sion  to  plead  against  them  before  Alexander.  If  they 
overcome  me,  say,  <  You  have  overcome  a  plebeian  only,* 
but  if  I  overcome  them,  say,  ( The  law  of  Moses  our  mas¬ 
ter  has  triumphed  over  you.*  **  They  accordingly  gave  him 
leave,  and  he  went  and  argued  thus,  ((  Whence  do  ye  pro¬ 
duce  your  proof?**  (<  From  the  law,**  said  they.  Then 
said  he,  <(  I  will  bring  no  other  evidence  but  from  the  law. 
It  is  said  (Exod.  xii.  40),  <  The  sojourning  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  who  dwelt  in  Egypt,  was  four  hundred  and  thirty 
years.*  Pay  us  now  the  usufruct  of  the  labor  of  the  sixty 
myriads  whom  ye  enslaved  in  Egypt  for  four  hundred  and 
thirty  years.**  Alexander  gave  the  Egyptians  three  days’ 
grace  to  prepare  a  reply,  but  they  never  put  in  an  appear¬ 
ance.  In  fact,  they  fled  away  and  left  both  their  fields  and 
vineyards.  Ibid.,  fol.  91,  col.  1. 

<(And  Jethro  said,  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  hath  deliv¬ 
ered  you**  (Exod.  xviii.  10).  A  tradition  says,  in  the 


THE  TALMUD 


231 


name  of  Rabbi  Papyes,  <(  Shame  upon  Moses  and  upon  the 
sixty  myriads  (of  Israel),  because  they  had  not  said, 
(  Blessed  be  the  Uord/  till  Jethro  came  and  set  the  example.” 

Sa7ihedrm,  fol.  94,  col.  1. 

<(  And  let  him  dip  his  foot  in  oil”  (Deut.  xxxiii.  24), 
the  Rabbis  say,  refers  to  the  portion  of  Asher,  which  pro¬ 
duces  oil  like  a  well.  Once  on  a  time,  they  relate,  the 
Laodiceans  sent  an  agent  to  Jerusalem  with  instructions  to 
purchase  a  hundred  myriads’  worth  of  oil.  He  proceeded 
first  to  Tyre,  and  thence  to  Gush-halab,  where  he  met  with 
the  oil  merchant  earthing  up  his  olive  trees,  and  asked  him 
whether  he  could  supply  a  hundred  myriads’  worth  of  oil. 
<(  Stop  till  I  have  finished  my  work,”  was  the  reply.  The 
other,  when  he  saw  the  business-like  way  in  which  he  set  to 
work,  could  not  help  incredulously  exclaiming,  (<  What  ! 
hast  thou  really  a  hundred  myriads’  worth  of  oil  to  sell? 
Surely  the  Jews  have  meant  to  make  game  of  me.® 
However  he  went  to  the  house  with  the  oil  merchant,  where 
a  female  slave  brought  hot  water  for  him  to  wash  his 
hands  and  feet,  and  a  golden  bowl  of  oil  to  dip  them  in 
afterward,  thus  fulfilling  Dent,  xxxiii.  24  to  the  very  letter. 
After  they  had  eaten  together,  the  merchant  measured  out 
to  him  the  hundred  myriads’  worth  of  oil,  and  then  asked 
whether  he  would  purchase  more  from  him.  (<Yes,”  said 
the  agent,  <(  but  I  have  no  more  money  here  with  me.” 
“Never  mind,”  said  the  merchant;  (<  buy  it  and  I  will  go 
with  thee  to  thy  home  for  the  money.”  Then  he  measured 
out  eighteen  myriads’  worth  more.  It  is  said  that  he  hired 
every  horse,  mule,  camel,  and  ass  he  could  find  in  all 
Israel  to  carry  the  oil,  and  that  on  nearing  his  city  the 
people  turned  out  to  meet  him  and  compliment  him  for 
the  service  he  had  done  them.  “Don’t  praise  me,”  said  the 
agent,  <(  but  this,  my  companion,  to  whom  I  owe  eighteen 
myriads.”  This,  says  the  narrator,  illustrates  what  is  said 
(Prov.  xiii.  7),  <( There  is  that  maketh  himself  (appear 
to  be)  rich,  yet  hath  nothing ;  there  is  that  maketh  him¬ 
self  poor,  yet  hath  great  riches.” 

Menaclioth ,  fol.  85,  col.  2. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


<(  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  hord  is  the  Aggadah,  as  explained 

in  the  Midrashim  w 


(233) 


AMNON  AND  TAMAR 
Photogravure  after  the  painting  by  A.  CabaneL 


UBRARV 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  Of  ttUNOIS 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 


The  Midrashim  are  ancient  Rabbinical  expositions  of 
Holy  Writ.  The  term  Midrash  (of  which  Midrashim 
is  the  plural  form)  occurs  twice  in  the  Hebrew  Bible 
(2  Chron.  xiii.  22,  and  xxiv.  27)  ;  and  in  both  passages  it 
is  represented  in  the  Anglican  version  by  the  word  <(  story, 
while  the  more  correct  translation,  <(  commentary,  ®  is  rele¬ 
gated  to  the  margin.  (<  Legendary  exposition )}  best  ex¬ 
presses  the  full  meaning  of  the  word  Midrash. 

The  Midrashim,  for  the  most  part,  originated  in  a  praise¬ 
worthy  desire  to  familiarize  the  people  with  Holy  Writ, 
which  had,  in  consequence  of  changes  in  the  vernacular, 
become  to  them,  in  the  course  of  time,  almost  a  dead  letter. 
These  Midrashim  have  little  or  nothing  to  do  with  the 
Halachoth  or  legal  decisions  of  the  Talmud,  except  in  aim, 
which  is  that  of  illustration  and  explanation.  They  are 
not  literal  interpretations,  but  figurative  and  allegorical,  and 
as  such  enigmatic.  They  are,  however,  to  be  received  as 
utterances  of  the  sages,  and  some  even  regard  them  of  as 
binding  obligation  as  the  law  of  Moses  itself.  The  following 
are  fairly  representative  extracts. 


(235) 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


The  name  of  Abraham  always  precedes  those  of  Isaac 
and  Jacob  except  in  one  place  (Lev.  xxvi.  42), 
where  it  is  said,  <(And  I  will  remember  my  covenant 
with  Jacob,  and  also  my  covenant  with  Isaac,  and  also  my 
covenant  with  Abraham  will  I  remember ; ”  and  thus  we 
learn  that  all  were  of  equal  importance. 

Midrash  Rabbah ,  Gen.  chap.  1. 

In  the  Selichoth  for  the  Day  of  Atonement  the  above  reversal  of  the 
usual  order  of  the  names  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  is  thus  referred 
to  :  (<The  first  covenant  Thou  didst  exalt,  and  the  order  of  the  con¬ 
tracting  parties  to  it  Thou  hast  reversed. >J 

Abraham  deserved  to  have  been  created  before  Adam, 
but  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  said,  <( Should  he 
pervert  things  as  I  make  them,  then  there  will  be  no  one 
to  rectify  them  ;  so  behold  I  will  create  Adam  first,  and  if 
he  should  make  things  crooked,  then  Abraham  following 
him  will  make  them  straight  again. ”  Ibid.,  chap.  14. 

Abram  was  called  Abraham,  and  Isaac  was  also  called 
Abraham;  as  it  is  written  (Gen.  xxv.  19),  (<  Isaac,  Abra¬ 
ham’s  son,  Abraham. ”  Ibid.,  chap.  63. 

<(  And  he  lay  down  in  that  place ”  (Gen.  xxviii.  11). 
Rabbi  Yuda  said,  <(  There  he  lay  down,  but  he  did  not  lie 
down  during  all  the  fourteen  years  he  was  hid  in  the 
house  of  Eber.”  Rabbi  Nehemiah  said,  (<  There  he  lay 
down,  but  he  did  not  lie  down  all  the  twenty  years  in 
which  he  stood  in  the  house  of  Laban.” 

Ibid. ,  chap.  68. 

Vayash  Kihu,  <(  And  kissed  him”  (Gen.  xxxiii.  4), 
Rabbi  Yanai  asks,  <(  Why  is  this  word  (in  the  original 
Hebrew)  so  pointed?”  <(  It  is  to  teach  that  Esau  did  not 
come  to  kiss  him,  but  to  bite  him  ;  only  the  neck  of  Jacob 
our  father  became  as  hard  as  marble,  and  this  blunted  the 
teeth  of  the  wicked  one.”  <(And  what  is  taught  by  the 

(237) 


238 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


expression  *  And  they  wept >  ?  ”  <(  The  one  wept  for  his 

neck  and  the  other  for  his  teeth.  ” 

Midrash  Rabbah ,  chap.  78. 

Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai  in  Sifri  deliberately  controverts  this 
interpretation,  and  Aben  Ezra  says  it  is  an  <(  exposition  fit  only  for 
children. y) 

Esau  said,  <(  I  will  not  kill  my  brother  Jacob  with  bow 
and  arrow,  but  with  my  mouth  I  will  suck  his  blood, ”  as 
it  is  said  (Gen.  xxxiii.  4),  ((And  Ksau  ran  to  meet  him, 
and  embraced  him,  and  kissed  him,  and  they  wept.”  Read 
not  (<  and  he  kissed  him,”  but  read,  <(  and  he  bit  him.” 
The  neck  of  Jacob,  however,  became  as  hard  as  ivory,  and 
it  is  respecting  him  that  Scripture  says  (Cant.  vii.  5), 
<(Tliy  neck  is  as  a  tower  of  ivory,”  —  so  that  the  teeth  of 
Esau  became  blunted ;  and  when  he  saw  that  his  desire 
could  not  be  gratified,  he  began  to  be  angry,  and  gnashed 
his  teeth,  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  cxii.  10),  (<  The  wicked  shall 
see  it  and  be  grieved;  he  shall  gnash  with  his  teeth.” 

Pirke  d'Rab.  Eliezer ,  chap.  36. 

See  also  the  previous  quotation  from  the  Midrash  Rabbah.  The 
Targum  of  Jonathan  and  also  the  Yerushalmi  record  the  same  fantas¬ 
tic  tradition.  In  the  latter  it  is  given  thus,  <(  And  Esau  ran  to  meet 
him,  and  hugged  him,  and  fell  upon  his  neck  and  kissed  him.  Esau 
wept  for  the  crushing  of  his  teeth,  and  Jacob  wept  for  the  tenderness 
of  his  neck.^ 

Abraham  made  a  covenant  with  the  people  of  the  land, 
and  when  the  angels  presented  themselves  to  him,  he 
thought  they  were  mere  wayfarers,  and  he  ran  to  meet 
them,  purposing  to  make  a  banquet  for  them.  This  ban¬ 
quet  he  told  Sarah  to  get  prepared,  just  as  she  was  knead¬ 
ing  cakes.  For  this  reason  he  did  not  offer  them  the  cakes 
which  she  had  made,  but  <(  ran  to  fetch  a  calf,  tender  and 
good.”  The  calf  in  trepidation  ran  away  from  him  and 
hid  itself  in  the  cave  of  Machpelah,  into  which  he  followed 
it.  Here  he  found  Adam  and  Eve  fast  asleep,  with  lamps 
burning  over  their  couches,  and  the  place  pervaded  with  a 
sweet-smelling  odor.  Hence  the  fancy  he  took  to  the  cave 
of  Machpelah  for  a  (( possession  of  a  burying-place.  ” 


Ibid. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


239 


Shechem,  the  son  of  Hamor,  assembled  girls  together 
playing  on  tambourines  outside  the  tent  of  Dinah,  and 
when  she  (<  went  out  to  see  them,**  he  carried  her  off, 
and  she  bare  him  Osenath.  The  sons  of  Jacob  wished  to 
kill  her,  lest  the  people  of  the  land  should  begin  to  talk 
scandal  of  the  house  of  their  father.  Jacob,  however,  en¬ 
graved  the  holy  Name  on  a  metal  plate,  suspended  it  upon 
her  neck,  and  sent  her  away.  All  this  being  observed 
before  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  the  angel  Michael 
was  sent  down,  who  led  her  to  Egypt,  into  the  house  of 
Potipherah ;  for  Osenath  was  worthy  to  become  the  wife 
of  Joseph.  Pirke  d’Rab.  Eliezer ,  chap.  48. 

In  Yalkut  Yehoshua  9,  Osenath  is  styled  a  proselyte  ;  and  indeed 
it  might  seem  likely  enough  that  Joseph  induced  her  to  worship  the 
true  God.  The  Targum  of  Jonathan  agrees  with  the  version  of  the 
Midrash  above,  while  another  tradition  makes  Joseph  marry  Zuleika, 
the  virgin  widow  of  Potiphar,  and  says  that  she  was  the  same  woman 
that  is  called  Osenath  ( Koran ,  note  to  p.  193). 

When  Joseph’s  brethren  recognized  him,  and  were  about 
to  kill  him,  an  angel  came  down  and  dispersed  them  to 
the  four  corners  of  the  house.  Then  Judah  screamed  with 
such  a  loud  voice  that  all  the  walls  of  Egypt  were  leveled 
with  the  dust,  all  the  beasts  were  smitten  to  the  ground, 
and  Joseph  and  Pharaoh,  their  teeth  having  fallen  out, 
were  cast  down  from  their  thrones ;  while  all  the  men  that 
stood  before  Joseph  had  their  heads  twisted  round  with 
their  faces  toward  their  backs,  and  so  they  remained  till 
the  day  of  their  death;  as  it  is  said  (Job  iv.  10),  <(  The 
roaring  of  the  lion  (Judah),  and  the  voice  of  the  fierce 
lion,^  etc.  Vayegash ,  chap.  5. 

The  tradition  of  a  legend  in  our  possession  says  that 
Judah  killed  Esau.  When?  When  Isaac  died,  Jacob  and 
(the  chiefs  of)  the  twrelve  clans  went  to  bury  him  ;  as  it 
is  written  (Gen.  xxxv.  29),  (( And  his  sons  Esau  and 

Jacob  buried  him. w  In  the  Midrash  it  is,  <(  And  Esau  and 
Jacob  and  his  sons  buried  him,^  which  fits  the  legend 
better.  Arrived  at  the  cave,  they  entered  it,  and  they 
stood  and  wept.  The  (heads  of  the)  tribes,  out  of  respect 
to  Jacob,  left  the  cave,  that  Jacob  might  not  be  put  to 
shame  in  their  presence.  Judah  re-entered  it,  and  finding 


240 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


Esau  risen  up  as  if  about  to  murder  Jacob,  he  instantly 
went  behind  him  and  killed  him.  But  why  did  he  not  kill 
him  from  the  front?  Because  the  physiognomy  of  Esau 
was  exactly  like  that  of  Jacob,  and  it  was  out  of  respect 
to  the  latter  that  he  slew  Esau  from  behind. 

Alidrash  Shochar  Tov,  chap.  18. 

Tradition  varies  respecting  the  tragic  end  of  Esau.  The  Book  of 
Jasher  (chap.  56,  v.  64)  and  the  Targum  of  Jonathan  (in  Vayechi) 
both  say  that  Cushim  the  son  of  Dan  slew  Esau  at  the  burial,  not  of 
Isaac,  but  of  Jacob,  because  he  sought  to  hinder  the  funeral  obse¬ 
quies,  disputing  the  title  to  the  sepulchre. 

(<  Oh,  that  I  had  wings  like  a  dove  !  for  then  I  would 
fly  away,  and  be  at  rest  ”  (Ps.  lv.  6).  This  is  spoken  of 
Abraham.  But  why  like  a  dove?  Rabbi  Azariah,  in  the 
name  of  Rabbi  Yudan,  says,  (<  Because  all  birds  when  tired 
rest  on  a  rock  or  on  a  tree,  but  a  dove,  when  tired  of  fly¬ 
ing,  draws  in  one  wing  to  rest  it,  and  continues  her  flight 
with  the  other.”  Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  39. 

The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  said  unto  Abraham, 
<(  What  should  I  tell  thee  ?  and  with  what  shall  I  bless 
thee?  Shall  I  tell  thee  to  be  perfectly  righteous,  or  that 
thy  wife  Sarah  be  righteous  before  me?  That  ye  both  are 
already.  Or  shall  I  say  that  thy  children  shall  be  righteous? 
They  are  so  already.  But  I  will  bless  thee  so  that  all  thy 
children  which  shall  in  future  ages  come  forth  from  thee 
shall  be  just  like  thee.”  Whence  do  we  learn  this?  From 
Gen  xv.  5:  (<  And  he  said  unto  him,  So  (like  thee)  shall 
thy  seed  be.”  Bamidbar  Rabbah ,  chap.  2. 

<(  Every  man  by  his  own  standard”  (Num.  ii. 

2).  The  several  princes  of  Israel  selected  the  colors  for 
their  banners  from  the  color  of  the  stones  that  were  upon 
the  breastplate  of  Aaron.  From  them  other  princes  have 
learned  to  adorn  their  standards  with  different  distinguish¬ 
ing  colors.  Reuben  had  his  flag  red,  and  leaves  of  man¬ 
drakes  upon  it.  Issachar  had  his  flag  blue,  and  the  sun 
and  moon  upon  it.  Naphtali  had  on  his  flag  an  olive  tree, 
for  this  reason  that  (Gen.  xlix.  20)  <(  Out  of  Asher  his 
bread  shall  be  fat.”  Ibid.,  chap.  7. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


241 


<(  And  Abraham  rose  up  early  and  saddled  his  ass  (Gen. 
xxii.  3).  This  is  the  ass  on  which  Moses  also  rode  when 
he  came  into  Egypt;  for  it  is  said  (Exod.  iv.  20),  (<  And 
Moses  took  his  wife  and  his  sons,  and  set  them  upon  an 
ass.w  This  is  the  ass  on  which  the  Son  of  David  also 
shall  ride  ;  as  it  is  said  (Zech.  ix.  9),  (<  Poor,  and  riding 
upon  an  ass.^  Pirke  cCRab.  Eliezer ,  chap.  31. 

In  the  morning  service  for  Yom  Kippur,  there  is  an  allusion  to 
the .  Scripture  passage  with  which  our  quotation  opens.  It  is  said 
that  Abraham  in  <(his  great  joy  perverted  the  usual  order, w  which  a 
footnote  explains  thus — (( In  the  greatness  of  his  joy,  that  he  had 
thus  an  opportunity  of  showing  his  obedience  to  God,  he  set  aside 
the  usual  order  of  things,  which  wTas  that  the  servant  should  saddle 
the  ass,  and  saddled  the  ass  himself,  as  mentioned  Gen.  xxii.  3-)) 
The  animal  referred  to  in  the  above  remarks  is  spoken  of  in  Sanhe¬ 
drin,  fol.  98,  col.  1,  as  being  of  a  hundred  colors. 

When  Joseph  saw  the  signs  of  Judah’s  anger,  he  began 
to  tremble,  and  said  (to  himself),  ((  Woe  is  me,  for  he  may 
kill  me  ! >}  And  what  were  these  signs  ?  Tears  of  blood 
rolling  down  from  Judah’s  right  eye,  and  the  hair  that 
grew  on  his  chest  rising  and  penetrating  through  the  five 
garments  that  he  wore.  Joseph  then  kicked  the  marble 
seat  on  which  he  was  sitting,  so  that  it  was  instantly  shat¬ 
tered  into  fragments.  Upon  this  Judah  observed,  (<  He  is 
a  mighty  man,  like  one  of  us.^  Yalkut  Vayegash. 

Abraham  married  three  wives  —  Sarah,  a  daughter  of 
Shem ;  Keturah,  a  daughter  of  Japheth ;  and  Hagar,  a 
daughter  of  Ham.  Yalkut ,  Job)  chap.  8. 

Rashi  supposes  that  Keturah  was  one  and  the  same  with  Hagar  — 
so  the  Midrash,  the  Targum  Yerushalmi,  and  that  of  Jonathan.  The 
latter  says,  <(  Keturah,  she  is  Hagar,  who  had  been  bound  to  him 
from  the  beginning,**  but  Aben  Ezra  and  most  of  the  commentators 
contend  that  Keturah  and  Hagar  are  two  distinct  persons,  and  the 
use  of  the  plural  concubines,  in  verse  6,  bears  them  out  in  this  asser¬ 
tion. 

The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  daily  proclaims  a  new 
law  in  the  heavenly  court,  and  even  all  these  were  known 
to  Abraham.  Ibid . ,  chap.  37. 

A  Gentile  once  asked  Rabbi  Yoshua  ben  Kapara,  (<  Is  it 

true  that  ye  say  your  God  sees  the  future ?  ®  <(  Yes,”  was 

16 


242 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


the  reply.  <(  Then  how  is  it  that  it  is  written  (Gen.  vi. 
6),  ( And  it  grieved  Him  at  His  heart )  ?  ”  <(  Hast  thou,” 

replied  the  Rabbi,  <(  ever  had  a  boy  born  to  thee?”  <(  Yes,” 
said  the  Gentile  ;  (<  and  I  rejoiced  and  made  others  rejoice 
with  me.”  Didst  thou  not  know  that  he  would  eventually 
die?”  asked  the  Rabbi.  <(Yes,”  answered  the  other;  <(  but 
at  the  time  of  joy  is  joy,  and  at  the  time  of  mourning, 
mourning.  ”  <(  So  it  is  before  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 

He  !  —  seven  days  He  mourned  before  the  deluge  destroyed 
the  world.”  Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  27. 

All  the  strength  of  the  soul’s  mourning  is  from  the  third 
to  the  thirtieth  day,  during  which  time  she  sits  on  the 
grave,  still  thinking  her  beloved  might  yet  return  (to 
the  body  whence  she  departed).  When  she  notices  that 
the  color  of  the  face  is  changed,  she  leaves  and  goes  away  ; 
and  this  is  what  is  written  (Job.  xiv.  22),  *  But  his  flesh 
upon  him  shall  have  pain,  and  his  soul  shall  mourn  over 
him.”  Then  the  mouth  and  the  belly  quarrel  with  one 
another,  the  former  saying  to  the  latter,  <(  All  I  have  robbed 
and  taken  by  violence  I  deposited  in  thee  ;  ”  and  the  latter, 
having  burst  three  days  after  its  burial,  saying  to  the 
former,  There  is  all  thou  hast  robbed  and  taken  by  vio¬ 
lence  !  as  it  is  written  (Eccles.  xii.  6),  ( The  pitcher  is 
broken  at  the  fountain.  >  ”  Ibid.,  chap.  100. 

Job  said,  <(  Even  the  devil  shall  not  dissuade  me  from 
comforting  those  that  mourn  ;  for  I  would  tell  him  that  I 
am  not  better  than  my  Creator,  who  comforts  Israel  ;  as  it 
is  said  (Isa.  li.  12),  ( I,  even  I,  am  He  that  comforteth 
3’ou. >  ”  Psikia  Nachmu. 

Once  Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yehozedek  addressed  Rabbi 
Sh’muel  ben  Nachman  and  said,  <(  I  hear  that  thou  art  a 
Baal  Aggadah ;  canst  thou  therefore  tell  me  whence  the 
light  was  created?”  (<  We  learn,”  he  replied  in  a  whisper, 
<(  that  God  wrapped  Himself  with  light  as  with  a  garment, 
and  He  has  caused  the  splendor  thereof  to  shine  from  one 
end  of  the  world  to  the  other.”  The  other  said,  (<  Why 
whisperest  thou,  I  wonder,  since  Scripture  says  so  plainly 
(Ps.  civ.  2)  (  Who  coiereth  Himself  with  light  as  with  a 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


243 


garment >  ?  The  reply  was,  “  I  heard  it  in  a  whisper,  and 
in  a  whisper  I  have  told  it  to  thee.” 

Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  3. 

<(  As  the  tents  of  Kedar  ”  (Cant.  i.  5).  As  the  tents  of 
the  Ishmaelites  are  ugly  without  and  comely  within,  so 
also  the  disciples  of  the  wise,  though  apparently  wanting 
in  beauty,  are  nevertheless  full  of  Scripture,  and  of  the 
Mishnah  and  of  the  Talmud,  of  the  Halacha  and  of  the 
Aggadoth.  Shemoth  Rabbah ,  chap.  23. 

“  Write  thou  these  words”  (Exod.  xxxiv.  37).  That 
applies  to  the  Eaw,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Hagiographa, 
which  were  given  in  writing,  but  not  to  the  Halachoth,  the 
Midrashim,  the  Aggadoth,  and  the  Talmud,  which  were 
given  by  the  mouth.  Ibid.,  chap.  47. 

Rabbi  Samlai  said  to  Rabbi  Yonathan,  “  Instruct  me  in 
the  Aggada.”  The  latter  replied,  <(  We  have  a  tradition 
from  our  forefathers  not  to  instruct  either  a  Babylonian  or 
a  Daromean  in  the  Aggada,  for  though  they  are  deficient  in 
knowledge  they  are  haughty  in  spirit.” 

Tal.  Yerushalmi  P  sachim,  v.  fol.  32,  col.  1. 

He  who  transcribes  the  Aggada  has  no  portion  in  the 
world  to  come ;  he  who  expounds  it  is  excommunicated  ; 
and  he  who  listens  to  the  exposition  of  it  shall  receive  no 
reward. 

Tal.  Yerushalmi  Psachim,  Shabbath ,  xvi.  fol.  30,  col.  2. 

“  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech”  (Ps.  xix.  2,  3,  4)  ;  this 
means  the  Raw,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Hagiographa.  <(  And 
night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge ;  ”  this  is  the  Mish- 
naioth.  (<  There  is  no  speech  or  langauge  where  their  voice 
is  not  heard  ;  ”  these  are  the  Halachoth.  (<  Their  line  is 
gone  out  through  all  the  earth  ;  ”  these  are  the  Aggadoth, 
by  which  His  great  name  is  sanctified. 

T.  debei  Aliahu ,  chap.  2. 

Rabbi  Yeremiah,  the  son  of  Elazar,  said,  (( When  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  created  Adam,  He  created 
him  an  androgyne,  for  it  is  written  (Gen.  v.  2),  (  Male  and 
female  created  He  themP”  Rabbi  Sh’muel  bar  Nachman 
said,  “When  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  created 
Adam,  He  created  him  with  two  faces  ;  then  He  sawed  him 


244 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


asunder,  and  split  him  (in  two),  making  one  back  to  the 
one-half,  and  another  to  the  other.  ® 

Midrash  Rabbah,  chap.  8. 

(<  And  it  repented  the  Lord  that  He  had  made  man 
(Adam)  on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  Him  at  His  heart  ® 
(Gen.  vi.  6).  Rabbi  Berachiah  says  that  when  God  was 
about  to  create  Adam,  He  foresaw  that  both  righteous  peo¬ 
ple  and  wicked  people  would  come  forth  from  him.  He 
reasoned  therefore  with  Himself  thus :  (( If  I  create  him, 

then  will  the  wicked  proceed  from  him  ;  but  if  I  do  not 
create  him,  how  then  shall  the  righteous  come  forth  ?}) 
What  then  did  God  do?  He  separated  the  ways  of  the 
wicked  from  before  Him,  and  assuming  the  attribute  of 
mercy,  so  He  created  him.  This  explains  what  is  written 
(Ps.  i.  6),  <(  For  the  Lord  knoweth  the  way  of  the  right¬ 
eous,  but  the  way  of  the  wicked  shall  be  lost.”  The  way 
of  the  wicked  was  lost  before  Him,  but  assuming  to  Him¬ 
self  the  attribute  of  mercy,  He  created  him.  Rabbi  Cha- 
nina  says,  (<  It  was  not  so  !  But  when  God  was  about  to 
create  Adam,  He  consulted  the  ministering  angels  and  said 
unto  them  (Gen.  i.  26),  ( Shall  we  make  man  in  our  image 
after  our  likeness?*  They  replied,  ( For  what  good  wilt 
thou  create  him?*  He  responded,  (That  the  righteous  may 
rise  out  of  him.*  This  explains  what  is  written,  (  For  the 
Lord  knoweth  the  way  of  the  righteous,  but  the  way  of 
the  wicked  shall  be  lost. >  God  informed  them  only  about  the 
righteous,  but  He  said  nothing  about  the  wicked,  otherwise 
the  ministering  angels  would  not  have  given  their  consent 
that  man  should  be  created.**  Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  8. 

Rabbi  Hoshaiah  said,  <(  When  God  created  Adam  the  min¬ 
istering  angels  mistook  him  for  a  divine  being,  and  were 
about  to  say,  (  Holy  !  holy  !  holy  ! *  before  him.  But  God 
caused  a  deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  Adam,  so  that  all  knew 
he  was  only  a  man.  This  explains  what  is  written  (Isa. 
ii.  22),  ( Cease  ye  from  man,  whose  breath  is  in  his  nos¬ 
trils  ;  for  wherein  is  he  to  be  accounted  of  >  ?  **  Ibid. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  saith,  <(  Adam  and  Eve  seemed  as  if  they 
were  about  twenty  years  old  when  they  were  created.  ** 

Ibid.,  chap.  14. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


245 


Rav  Acha  said  when  God  was  about  to  create  Adam  He 
consulted  the  ministering  angels,  and  asked  them,  saying, 
(<  Shall  we  make  man  ? They  enquired,  <(  Of  what  good 
will  this  man  be  ? })  He  replied,  ((  His  wisdom  will  be 
greater  than  yours. One  day,  therefore,  He  brought 
together  the  cattle,  the  beasts,  and  the  birds,  and  asked 
them  the  name  of  them  severally,  but  they  knew  not.  He 
then  caused  them  to  pass  before  Adam,  and  asked  him, 
“  What  is  the  name  of  this  and  the  other  ? Then  Adam 
replied,  “This  is  an  ox,  this  is  an  ass,^  and  so  on.  “And 
thou,  why  is  thy  name  Adam  ? w  (i.  e.  in  Hebrew,  man). 
“I  ought  to  be  called  Adam,^  was  his  reply,  “for  I  was 
created  from  Adamah  })  (the  ground).  “  And  what  is  My 
name  ? })  “  It  is  meet  Thou  shouldst  be  called  Lord,  for 

Thou  art  Lord  over  all  Thy  creatures.  ®  Rav  Acha  says, 
<(<I  am  the  Lord,  that  is  My  name >  (Isa.  xlii.  8).  ‘That 
is  My  name  which  Adam  called  Me.*  ® 

Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  17. 

Rabba  Bliezer  says  Adam  was  skilled  in  all  manner  of 
crafts.  What  proof  is  there  of  this?  It  is  said  (Isa.  xliv. 
1 1 ) ,  “  And  the  artisans,  they  are  of  Adam. }>  Ibid. ,  chap.  24. 

“And  the  Lord  said,  I  will  destroy  man ®  (Gen.  vi.  7). 
Rabbi  Levi,  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Yochanan,  says  that 
even  millstones  were  destroyed.  Rabbi  Yuda,  in  the  name 
of  Rabbi  Yochanan,  declares  even  the  very  dust  of  Adam 
was  destroyed.  Rabbi  Yuda,  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Shi¬ 
mon,  insists  that  even  the  (resurrection)  bone  of  the  spine, 
from  which  God  will  one  day  cause  man  to  sprout  forth 
again,  was  destroyed.  Ibid.,  chap.  28. 

Concerning  the  bone,  the  os  coccygis ,  there  is  an  interesting  story- 
in  Midrash  Kohelet  (fol.  114,  3),  which  may  be  appropriately  inserted 
here.  Hadrian  (whose  bones  may  they  be  ground,  and  his  name 
blotted  out)  once  asked  Rabbi  Joshua  ben  Chanania,  ((From  what 
shall  the  human  frame  be  reconstructed  when  it  rises  again  ? })  (<  From 

Ruz  in  the  backbone, >}  was  the  answer.  (<  Prove  this  to  me,®  said 
Hadrian.  Then  the  Rabbi  took  Ruz,  a  small  bone  of  the  spine,  and 
immersed  it  in  water,  but  it  was  not  softened  ;  he  put  it  into  the  fire, 
but  it  was  not  consumed  ;  he  put  it  into  a  mill,  but  it  could  not  be 
pounded  ;  he  placed  it  upon  an  anvil  and  struck  it  with  a  hammer, 
but  the  anvil  split  and  the  hammer  was  broken.  (See  also  Zohar  in 
<(  Genesis, »  206,  etc.  etc. ) 


246 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


(<  A  window  shalt  thou  make  to  the  ark®  (Gen.  vi.  16). 
Rabbi  Amma  says,  <(  It  was  a  real  window. ®  Rabbi  L,evi, 
on  the  other  hand,  maintained  that  it  was  a  precious  stone, 
and  that  during  the  twelve  months  Noah  was  in  the  ark 
he  had  no  need  of  the  light  of  the  sun  by  day  nor  of  the 
moon  by  night  because  of  that  stone,  which  he  had  kept 
suspended,  and  he  knew  that  it  was  day  when  it  was  dim, 
and  night  when  it  sparkled.  Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  31. 

The  transparency,  ascribed  to  the  ark,  has  given  rise  to  various 
conjectures.  The  idea  of  Rabbi  Levi,  that  it  was  a  precious  stone, 
has  the  sanction  of  the  Targum  of  Jonathan  ;  which  volunteers  the 
additional  information  that  the  gem  was  found  in  the  river  Pison. 

Noah  was  deficient  in  faith,  for  he  did  not  enter  the  ark 
till  the  water  was  up  to  his  ankles.  Ibid.,  chap.  32. 

<(And  he  sent  forth  a  raven®  (Gen.  viii.  7).  The  raven 
remonstrated,  remarking,  <(  From  all  the  cattle,  beasts,  and 
fowls  thou  sendest  none  but  me. ®  <(  What  need  has  the 

world  for  thee  ?  ®  retorted  Noah  ;  <(  thou  art  good  neither 
for  food  nor  for  sacrifice.  ®  Rabbi  Eliezer  says  God  ordered 
Noah  to  receive  the  raven,  as  the  world  would  one  day  be 
in  need  of  him.  <(  When  ? ®  asked  Noah.  <(  When  the 
waters  are  dried  up  from  off  the  earth,  there  will  in  a  time 
to  come  arise  a  certain  righteous  man  who  shall  dry  up 
the  world,  and  then  I  shall  want  it.®  This  explains  what 
is  written  (1  Kings  xvii.  6),  ((  And  the  ravens  brought 
him  bread  and  flesh  in  the  morning. ®  Ibid.,  chap.  33. 

At  the  time  God  said  to  the  serpent,  (<  Upon  thy  belly 
thou  shalt  go  ®  (Gen.  iii.  14),  the  ministering  angels  de¬ 
scended  and  lopped  off  his  hands  and  his  feet.  Then  his 
voice  was  heard  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other. 

Bereshith  Midrash  Rabbah ,  chap.  20. 

When  God  said  to  the  serpent,  (<  And  upon  thy  belly 
thou  shalt  go  ®  (Gen.  iii.  14),  the  serpent  replied,  <(  Ford  of 
the  universe  !  if  this  be  Thy  will,  then  I  shall  be  as  a  fish 
of  the  sea  without  feet.®  But  when  God  said  to  him, 
<{And  dust  shalt  thou  eat,®  he  replied,  <(  If  fish  eat  dust, 
then  I  also  will  eat  it.®  Then  God  seized  hold  of  the  ser¬ 
pent  and  tore  his  tongue  in  two,  and  said,  (<  O  thou  wicked 
one!  thou  hast  commenced  (to  sin)  with  thy  evil  tongue; 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


247 


thus  I  will  proclaim  it  to  all  that  come  into  the  world  that 
it  was  thy  tongue  that  caused  thee  all  this.  ® 

Letters  of  Rabbi  Akiva. 

(<And  Noah  only  remained ®  (Gen.  vii.  23),  except  Og, 
king  of  Bashan,  who  sat  on  a  beam  of  the  ladders  (which 
projected  from  the  ark),  and  swore  to  Noah  and  his  sons 
that  he  would  be  their  slave  forever.  Noah  made  a  hole 
in  the  ark  through  which  he  handed  to  Og  his  daily  food. 
Thus  he  also  remained,  as  it  is  said  (Deut.  iii.  11),  <(  For 
only  Og,  king  of  Bashan,  remained. ® 

Pirke  cT Rab.  Eliezer,  chap.  23. 

(<  Unto  Adam  and  his  wife  did  the  Lord  God  make  coats 
of  skins®  (Gen.  iii.  21),  viz,  to  cover  their  nakedness;  but 
with  what  ?  With  fringes  and  phylacteries,  ((  Coats  of 
skins, ®  viz,  the  leathern  straps  of  the  phylacteries;  <(  and 
they  sewed  fig-leaves ®  (Gen.  iii.  7),  viz,  fringes;  <(  and 
made  themselves  aprons,®  this  means  the  proclaiming  of  the 
Shema,  <(  Hear,  O  Israel,®  etc.  Yalkut  Chadash. 

The  aprons,  which  some  (as  Rashi,  for  instance)  take  to  denote 
furs,  the  Targum  of  Jonathan  says  were  made  <(  from  the  skin  of  the 
serpent. }>  The  wardrobe  of  Adam  afterward  came  into  the  possession 
of  Esau  and  Jacob  (see  Targ.  Yon.  in  Toledoth,  and  p.  199,  No.  161, 
ante). 

All  the  presents  which  our  father  Jacob  gave  to  Esau 
will  one  day  be  returned  by  the  nations  of  the  world  to 
the  Messiah,  and  the  proof  of  this  is  (Ps.  lxxii.  10),  <(The 
kings  of  Tarshish  and  the  isles  shall  return  presents.®  It 
is  not  written  here,  (( They  shall  bring,®  but  they  shall 
restore  or  return.  Midrash  Rabbah  Vayisklach,  chap.  78. 

A  philosopher  once  posed  Rabbi  Eliezer  with  the  ques¬ 
tion,  <(  Does  not  the  prophet  say  (Mai.  i.  4),  ( They  shall 
build,  but  I  will  throw  down }  ?  and  do  not  buildings  still 
exist  ?  ®  To  which  the  Rabbi  answered,  (<  The  prophet  does 
not  speak  of  buildings,  but  of  the  schemes  of  designers. 
Ye  all  think  to  contrive  and  build  up  devices,  to  destroy 
and  make  an  end  of  us,  but  He  bringeth  your  counsels  to 
nought.  He  throweth  them  down,  so  that  your  devices 
against  us  have  no  effect.®  <(  By  thy  life,®  said  the  philoso¬ 
pher,  (<  it  is  even  so ;  we  meet  annually  for  the  purpose  of 


248 


THE  MIDRASH1M 


compassing  your  ruin,  but  a  certain  old  man  comes  and 
upsets  all  your  projects  )}  (namely,  Elijah). 

Yalkut  Malachi. 

When  Israel  came  out  of  Egypt,  Samael  rose  to  accuse 
them,  and  thus  he  spoke  :  (<  Eord  of  the  Universe !  these 

have  till  now  worshiped  idols,  and  art  Thou  going  to  di¬ 
vide  the  sea  for  such  as  they  ?  w  What  did  the  Holy  One 
—  blessed  be  He!  —  then  do?  Job,  one  of  Pharaoh’s  high 
counselors,  of  wdiom  it  is  written  (Job  i.  1),  (( That  man 
was  perfect  and  upright, He  took  and  delivered  to  Samael, 
saying,  as  He  did  so,  <(  Behold,  he  is  in  thy  hand  ;  do  with 
him  as  thou  pleasest. >}  God  thought  to  divert  his  evil  de¬ 
signs  by  keeping  him  thus  occupied  with  Job,  that  Israel 
meanwhile  might  cross  the  sea  without  any  hindrance,  after 
which  He  would  return  and  rescue  Job  from  his  tender 
mercies.  God  then  said  to  Moses,  (<  Behold  I  have  deliv¬ 
ered  Job  to  Satan  ;  make  haste.  Speak  unto  the  children 
of  Israel  that  they  go  forward  w  (Exod.  xiv.  15). 

Midi' ash  Rabbah  Shemoth ,  chap.  21. 

No  man  ever  received  a  mite  (in  charity)  from  Job,  and 
needed  to  receive  such  a  second  time  (because  of  the  good- 
luck  it  brought  along  with  it).  Ibid. 

A  superstitious  belief  prevails  to  some  extent  in  Poland,  among 
the  Christian  population  as  well  as  the  Jews,  that  coins  obtained  in 
certain  circumstances  bring  luck  apart  altogether  from  any  virtue  they 
may  be  supposed  to  convey  from  the  giver.  A  penny  obtained,  for 
instance,  the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  by  stumbling  on  it  in  the 
street,  by  the  sale  of  an  article  in  the  market,  or  by  gift  of  charity, 
is  considered  to  bode  luck,  and  cherished  as  a  pledge  of  good  fortune 
by  being  slightly  spat  upon  several  times  on  receipt,  and  then  care¬ 
fully  stowed  away,  for  a  longer  or  shorter  period,  in  some  safe  sanc¬ 
tum.  Job  was  the  luckiest  man  that  ever  lived ;  his  very  goats  even 
were  so  lucky  as  to  kill  the  wolves  that  came  to  devour  them  ;  and  a 
beggar,  as  we  see,  who  received  a  mite  from  his  hands,  never  needed 
afterward  to  beg  an  alms  from  him  again.  (See  (<  Genesis  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  Talmud, w  p.  288,  No.  16.) 

(<  Aud  Saul  said  unto  the  Kenites,  Go,  depart,  etc. ;  for 
ye  showed  kindness  to  all  the  children  of  Israel  ®  ( 1  Sam. 
xv.  6).  And  did  they  show  kindness  to  all  the  children 
of  Israel?  No;  but  what  is  written  is  to  teach  that  he 
who  receives  a  disciple  of  the  wise  as  a  guest  into  his 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


249 


house,  and  gives  him  to  eat  and  to  drink,  is  as  if  he  had 
shown  kindness  to  all  the  children  of  Israel. 

Midrash  Sh'muel ,  chap.  18. 

Rabbi  L,evi  says,  (<  When  Solomon  introduced  the  ark 
into  the  Temple,  all  the  woodwork  thereof  freshened  with 
sap  and  began  to  yield  fruit,  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  xcii.  13), 
( Those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Tord  shall 
flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  GodP  And  thus  it  continued 
to  bear  fruit,  which  abundantly  supplied  the  juveniles  of 
the  priestly  caste  till  the  time  of  Manasseh ;  but  he,  by 
introducing  an  image  into  the  Temple,  caused  the  Shechi- 
nah  to  depart  and  the  fruit  to  wither;  as  it  is  said  (Nah. 
i.  4),  (  And  the  flower  of  Lebanon  languisheth. } 

Midrash  Tillin  Terumah. 

The  land  of  Israel  is  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  world, 
and  Jerusalem  in  the  centre  of  the  land  of  Israel,  and  the 
Temple  in  the  centre  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  Holy  of  holies 
in  the  centre  of  the  Temple,  and  the  foundation-stone  on 
which  the  world  was  grounded,  is  situated  in  front  of  the 
ark.  Midrash  Tillin  Terumah,  Kedoshim . 

In  Bzek.  v.  5  we  read,  (<I  have  set  Jerusalem  in  the  midst  of  the 
nations  and  countries  that  are  round  about  her.**  On  the  literal  inter¬ 
pretation  of  these  words  it  was  asserted  that  Jerusalem  was  the  very 
centre  of  the  world,  or,  as  Jerome  quaintly  called  it,  <(the  navel  of 
the  earth. }>  In  the  Talmud  we  find  a  beautiful  metaphor  in  illustra¬ 
tion  of  this  view.  It  is  in  the  last  six  lines  of  the  ninth  chapter  of 
Derech  Bretz  Zuta,  which  read  thus:  (<Issi  ben  Yochanan,  in  the 
name  of  Shemuel  Hakaton,  says,  <The  world  is  like  the  eyeball  of 
man ;  the  white  is  the  ocean  which  surrounds  the  world,  the  black  is 
the  world  itself,  the  pupil  is  Jerusalem,  and  the  image  in  the  pupil  is 
the  Temple.  May  it  be  built  in  our  own  days,  and  in  the  days  of 
all  Israel !  Amen  ! y })  The  memory  of  this  conceit  is  kept  alive  to 
this  day  among  the  Greek  Christians,  who  still  show  the  sacred  stone 
in  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  at  Jerusalem.  This  notion  is 
not  confined  to  Jewry.  Classic  readers  will  at  once  call  to  mind  the 
appellation  Omphalos  or  navel  applied  to  the  temple  at  Delphi 
(Pindar,  Pyth.,  iv.  131,  vi.  3;  Burip.  Ion.,  461;  ASsch.  Chceph.,  1034; 
Bum.  40,  167;  Strabo,  etc.). 

Two  sparks  issued  from  between  the  two  cherubim  and 
destroyed  the  serpents  and  scorpions  and  burned  the  thorns 
in  the  wilderness.  The  smoke  thereof,  rising  and  spread- 


250 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


ing,  perfumed  the  world,  so  that  the  nations  said  (Cant, 
iii.  6),  <(  Who  is  this  that  cometh  out  of  the  wilderness 
like  pillars  of  smoke,  perfumed, w  etc.  Ibid.,  Vayakhel . 

Better  to  lodge  in  the  wilderness  of  the  land  of  Israel 
than  dwell  in  the  palaces  outside  of  it. 

Midrash  Rabbah ,  chap.  39. 

<(  And  give  thee  a  pleasant  land  (a  coveted  land)  (Jer. 
iii.  19).  Why  is  it  called  a  coveted  land?  Because  the 
Temple  was  in  it.  Another  reason  why  it  was  so  called 
is,  because  the  fathers  of  the  world  have  coveted  it.  Rabbi 
Shimon  ben  Levi  says,  <(  Because  they  (who  are  buried) 
there  will  be  the  first  to  be  raised  in  the  days  of  the  Mes¬ 
siah. >}  Shemoih  Rabbah ,  chap.  32. 

<(  When  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  enlarge  thy  border,  as  He 
hath  promised  thee  (Deut.  xii.  20).  Rabbi  Yitzchak  said, 
<(  This  scroll  no  man  knows  how  long  and  how  broad  it  is, 
but  when  unrolled  it  speaks  for  itself,  and  shows  how  large 
it  is.  It  is  so  with  the  land  of  Israel,  which,  for  the  most 
part,  consists  of  hills  and  mountains;  but  when  the  Holy 
One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  shall  level  it,  as  it  is  said  (Isa.  xl. 
4),  (  Every  valley  shall  be  raised  and  every  mountain  and 
hill  shall  be  made  low,  and  the  crooked  shall  be  made 
straight,  and  the  rough  places  smooth,*  then  shall  that 
land  speak,  as  it  were,  for  herself,  and  its  extent  stand  re¬ 
vealed. >J  Devarim  Rabbah ,  chap.  4. 

Blessed  are  they  who  dwell  in  the  land  of  Israel,  for  they 
have  no  sin,  no  iniquity,  either  in  their  lives  or  in  their 
deaths.  Midrash  Shochar  Tov  on  Ps.  Ixxxv. 

<(  Better  is  a  dry  morsel  and  quietness  therewith  **  (Prov. 
xvii.  1).  This,  saith  Rabbi,  means  the  land  of  Israel,  for 
even  if  a  man  have  nothing  but  bread  and  salt  to  eat,  yet 
if  he  dwells  in  the  land  of  Israel  he  is  sure  that  he  is  a 
son  of  the  world  to  come.  ((  Than  a  house  full  of  sacrifices 
with  strife.  ®  This  means  the  outside  of  the  land,  which  is 

full  of  robbery  and  violence.  Rabbi  Y -  says,  <(  He  who 

walks  but  an  hour  in  the  land  of  Israel,  and  then  dies  within 
it  may  feel  assured  that  he  is  a  son  of  the  world  to  come  ; 
for  it  is  written  (Deut.  xxxii.  43),  ( And  his  earth  shall 
atone  for  his  people. * **  Midrash  Mishle. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


251 


See  also  the  Talmud,  Kethuboth,  fol.  ill,  col.  1.  Dr.  Benisch 
renders  <(and  make  expiation  for  His  ground  and  His  people.^  The 
Targums  of  Jonathan  and  the  Yerushalmi  have,  <(  He  will  make 
atonement  for  His  land  and  for  His  people  ; )}  and  Onkelos  puts  it 
thus,  <(He  will  show  mercy  unto  His  land  and  His  people. )}  Our  ren¬ 
dering,  however,  is  in  accordance  with  the  sense  given  to  it  in  the 
Talmud.  There  are  Jews  who  travel  about  the  world  with  bags  of 
earth  from  the  Holy  hand,  which  they  sell  in  small  quantities  for 
high  prices  to  such  as  can  afford  it,  and  believe  in  its  virtue  as  a  pro¬ 
tection  against  the  worms  of  the  grave. 

Jerusalem  is  the  light  of  the  world  ;  as  it  is  said,  ((  And 
the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  Thy  light”  (Isa.  lx.  3).  And 
the  light  of  Jerusalem  is  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He! 
—  as  it  is  written,  but  (<  the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee  an 
everlasting  light”  (Isa.  lx.  19). 

Bereshith  Rabbah ,  chap.  59. 

Ten  portions  of  wisdom,  ten  portions  of  the  law,  and  ten 
portions  of  hypocrisy  are  in  the  world ;  nine  portions  of 
each  are  in  the  land  of  Israel  and  one  outside  of  it. 

Midrash  Rabbah  Esther. 

<(  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  from  one  new  moon 
to  another,  and  from  one  Sabbath  to  another,  shall  all 
flesh  come  to  worship  before  Me,  saith  the  Lord  ”  (Isa. 

lxvi.  23).  But  how  is  it  possible  that  all  flesh  shall  come 

every  new  moon  and  Sabbath  to  Jerusalem?  Rabbi  Levi 
saith,  <(  In  the  future  Jerusalem  will  be  as  the  land  of 

Israel,  and  the  land  of  Israel  will  be  as  the  whole  world.” 

But  how  will  they  come  from  the  end  of  the  world  every 
new  moon  and  Sabbath?  <(The  clouds  will  come  and  carry 
them  and  bring  them  to  Jerusalem,  where  they  will  per¬ 
form  their  morning  prayer,  and  will  carry  them  back  to 
their  several  homes  ;  and  this  is  the  meaning  of  the  proph¬ 
et’s  saying  (Isa.  lx.  8),  (  Who  are  these  that  fly  as  a 
cloud  (in  the  morning),  and  as  the  doves  to  their  windows 
(in  the  evening)  ?  )  ”  Pesikta. 

<(  He  stood  and  measured  the  earth”  (Hab.  iii.  6). 
Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai  expounded  <(  He  stood  and 
measured  ”  thus  :  <(  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 

measured  all  the  nations,  and  He  found  none  worthy  to  re¬ 
ceive  the  law  except  the  generation  in  the  wilderness.  He 


252 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


measured  all  the  mountains,  and  He  found  none  on  which 
to  give  the  law  except  Mount  Sinai.  He  measured  all 
cities,  and  found  none  in  which  to  build  the  Temple  except 
Jerusalem.  He  measured  all  lands,  and  found  none  worthy 
to  be  given  unto  Israel  except  the  one  now  called  the  land 
of  Israel.  This  it  is  that  is  written,  (( He  stood  up  and 
measured  the  earth. ®  Vayekra  Rabbah ,  chap.  13. 

(<  I  wrent  down  to  the  bottoms  of  the  mountains  )}  (Jonah 
ii.  6).  From  this  we  learn  that  Jerusalem  is  situated  on 
seven  hills.  The  world’s  (<  foundation-stone })  sank  to 
<(  the  depths  ®  under  the  Temple  of  the  Ford,  and  upon 
this  the  sons  of  Korah  stand  and  pray.  (They)  pointed 
this  out  to  Jonah.  The  fish  said  unto  him,  <(  Jonah,  behold 
thou  art  standing  under  the  Temple  of  the  Ford  ;  therefore 
pray,  and  thou  shalt  be  answered. 

Pirke  d'  Rab.  Eliezer,  chap.  10. 

<(  And  there  went  out  fire  from  the  Ford  ®  (Fev.  x.  2). 
Abba  Yossi  saith,  ((  Two  threads  of  fire  came  out  from  the 
Holy  of  holies,  and  these  were  disparted  into  four :  two 
entered  the  nostrils  of  the  one  (i.  e.}  Nadab),  and  two 
entered  the  nostrils  of  the  other  (i.  e .,  Abihu),  and  thus 
consumed  them.  Their  souls  were  burned,  but  not  their 
garments  ;  for  it  is  said,  (  So  they  went  near,  and  carried 
them  in  their  coats  >  ®  (ver.  5). 

Torath  Cohanim ,  sec.  Shemini. 

Rabbi  Jacob  teaches  that  he  who  has  no  wife  abideth 
without  good,  without  help,  without  joy,  without  blessing 
or  atonement,  to  which  Rabbi  Yehoshua  ben  Fevi  adds, 
(yea)  also  without  peace  or  life.  Rabbi  Cheya  says  that 
he  is  not  a  perfect  man,  for  it  is  said,  <(  And  blessed  them 
and  called  their  name  man  })  (Gen.  v.  2),  where  both  are 
spoken  of  together  as  one  man. 

Midrash  Rabbah  Bereshith,  chap.  17. 

<(  My  beloved  is  like  a  roe®  (1  Cant.  ii.  9*).  As  a  roe 
leaps  and  skips  from  bush  to  bush,  from  covert  to  covert, 
from  hedge  to  hedge,  so  likewise  does  the  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He! — pass  from  synagogue  to  synagogue,  and 
from  academy  to  academy,  that  He  may  bless  Israel. 

Pesikta. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


253 


(Cant.  v.  1),  (<  I  came  into  My  garden,”  the  synagogues 
and  academies;  <(  My  sister,  My  spouse,”  the  congregation 
of  Israel;  <(  I  have  gathered  My  myrrh  with  My  spice,” 
the  Bible  (that  is)  ;  <(  I  have  eaten  My  honeycomb  with 
My  honey ”  (this  means)  the  Halachoth,  Midrashoth,  and 
Aggadoth  ;  <(  I  have  drank  My  wine  wTith  My  milk,”  this 
alludes  to  the  good  works  which  are  reserved  for  the  sages 
of  Israel.  After  that,  <(  Bat,  O  friends  !  drink,  yea,  drink 
freely,  O  beloved  !  ”  Yalkut  Eliezer ,  fol.  41,  col.  2. 

When  Solomon  brought  the  ark  into  the  Temple  and 
said,  (<Bift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates!  and  the  King  of 
glory  shall  come  in,”  the  gates  were  ready  to  fall  upon 
him  and  crush  his  head,  and  they  would  have  done  so  if 
he  had  not  said  at  once,  (<  The  Bord  of  hosts,  He  is  the 
King  of  glory”  (Ps.  xxiv.  9,  10).  The  Holy  One  —  blessed 
be  He  !  —  then  said  to  the  gates,  <(  Since  ye  have  thus  hon¬ 
ored  Me,  by  your  lives  !  when  I  destroy  My  Temple,  no 
man  shall  have  dominion  over  you  !  ”  This  was  to  inform 
us  that  while  all  the  vessels  of  the  Temple  were  carried 
into  captivity,  the  gates  of  the  Temple  were  stored  away 
on  the  very  spot  where  they  were  erected  ;  for  it  is  said 
(Bam.  ii.  9),  (<  Her  gates  are  sunk  into  the  ground.” 

Midrash  Rabbah  Devarim ,  chap.  15. 

We  are  reminded  of  this  tradition  in  the  conclusion  service  for 
Yom  Kippur,  where  we  repeat,  <(  Speedily  thou  shalt  open  the  hidden 
gates  to  those  who  hold  fast  Thy  lawd*  The  allusion  is  to  (<the  gates 
of  the  Temple,^  which  (<are  snpposed  to  be  sunk  in  the  ground. » 

Rabbi  Akiva  once  met  on  a  journey  a  remarkably  ugly 
man  toiling  along  under  a  great  load  of  wood.  Rabbi 
Akiva  said  unto  him,  (<  I  adjure  thee  to  tell  me  whether 
thou  art  a  man  or  a  demon.”  <(  Rabbi,”  said  he,  (<  I  was 
once  a  man,  and  it  is  now  some  time  since  I  left  the  world. 
Day  after  day  I  have  to  carry  a  load  like  this,  under 
which  I  am  obliged  to  bow  down,  and  submit  three  times 
a  day  to  be  burned,”  Then  Rabbi  Akiva  asked  him, 
(<  What  was  the  reason  of  this  punishment  ?  ”  and  the  re¬ 
ply  was,  <(  I  committed  an  immorality  on  the  Day  of  Atone¬ 
ment.”  The  Rabbi  asked  him  if  he  knew  of  anything  by 
which  he  might  obtain  for  him  a  remission  of  his  punish- 


254 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


ment.  <(  I  do,”  was  the  answer.  <(  When  a  son  whom  I 
have  left  behind  me  is  called  up  to  the  (public)  reading  of 
the  law,  and  shall  say,  (  Blessed  be  the  blessed  Lord/  I  shall 
be  drawn  out  of  hell  and  taken  into  Paradise.”  The  Rabbi 
noted  down  the  name  of  the  man  and,  his  dwelling-place, 
whither  he  afterward  went  and  made  inquiries  about  him. 
The  people  of  the  place  only  replied,  (<  The  name  of  the 
wicked  shall  rot”  (Prov.  x.  7).  Notwithstanding  this,  the 
Rabbi  insisted,  and  said,  <(  Bring  his  son  to  me.”  When 
they  brought  him,  he  taught  the  lad  to  repeat  the  blessing, 
which  he  did  on  the  ensuing  Sabbath  at  the  public  reading 
of  the  law ;  upon  which  his  father  was  immediately  re¬ 
moved  from  hell  to  Paradise.  On  the  self-same  night  the 
father  repaired  direct  to  Rabbi  Akiva,  and  gratefully  ex¬ 
pressed  his  hope  that  the  Rabbi’s  mind  might  be  as  much 
at  rest  as  his  own  was.  Midrash  Assereth  Hadibroht. 

There  are  three  things  which  a  man  does  not  wish  for  : 
Grass  to  grow  up  among  his  grain-crops ;  to  have  a 
daughter  among  his  children  ;  or  that  his  wdne  should  turn 
to  vinegar.  Yet  all  these  three  are  ordained  to  be,  for  the 
world  stands  in  need  of  them.  Therefore  it  is  said,  <(  O 
Lord,  my  God,  Thou  art  very  great  !  .  He  causeth 

the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle”  (Ps.  civ.  1,  14). 

Midrash  Tancliuma. 

There  are  four  cardinal  points  in  the  world,  etc.  The 
north  point  God  created  but  left  unfinished  ;  for,  said  He, 
<(  Whoever  claims  to  be  God,  let  him  come  and  finish  this 
corner  which  I  have  left,  and  thus  all  will  know  that  he 
is  God.”  This  unfinished  corner  is  the  dwelling-place  of 
the  harmful  demons,  ghosts,  devils,  and  storms. 

Pirke  d’Rab.  Eliezer ,  chap.  3. 

A  Min  once  asked  Rabbi  Akiva,  (<  Who  created  this 
world?”  a  The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!” — was  the  re¬ 
ply.  <(  Give  me  positive  proof  of  this,”  begged  the  other. 
<(  Come  to-morrow,”  answered  the  Rabbi.  On  coming  the 
next  day,  the  Rabbi  asked,  <(  What  are  you  dressed  in  ?  ” 
<(  In  a  garment,”  was  the  reply.  <(  Who  made  it?”  asked 
the  Rabbi.  (<  A  weaver,”  said  the  other.  <(  I  don’t  believe 
thee,”  said  the  Rabbi;  (<  give  me  a  positive  proof  of  this.” 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


255 


(<I  need  not  demonstrate  this,”  said  the  Min;  <(  it  stands 
to  reason  that  a  weaver  made  it.  ”  (<  And  so  thou  mayest 

know  that  God  created  the  world,”  observed  the  Rabbi. 
When  the  Min  had  departed,  the  Rabbi’s  disciples  asked 
him,  (<What  is  proof  positive?”  He  said,  (( My  children, 
as  a  house  implies  a  builder,  and  a  garment  a  weaver,  and 
a  door  a  carpenter,  so  likewise  the  existence  of  the  world 
implies  that  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  created  it.  ” 

Midrash  Terumah. 

When  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  created  the 
world,  it  was  a  level  expanse  free  from  mountains ;  but 
when  Cain  slew  Abel  his  brother,  whose  blood  was  trodden 
down  on  the  earth,  He  cursed  the  ground,  and  immediately 
hills  and  mountains  sprang  into  existence. 

Midrash  Vayosha. 

(<The  Lord  your  God  hath  multiplied  you,  and  behold 
ye  are  this  day  as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude”  (Deut. 
i.  10).  Why  did  He  bless  them  with  stars?  As  there  are 
degrees  above  degrees  among  these  stars,  so  likewise  are 
there  degrees  above  degrees  among  Israel.  Again,  as  these 
stars  are  without  limit,  without  number,  and  of  great 
power  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other,  so  likewise 
is  Israel.  (Cf.  1  Cor.  xv.  41.) 

Midrash  Rabbah  Devarim. 

(<  Flee,  my  beloved”  (A.  V.  a  make  haste,”  Cant.  viii. 
14).  When  Israel  eat  and  drink,  and  bless  and  praise  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  1  —  He  hearkeneth  to  their  voice 
and  is  reconciled  ;  but  when  the  Gentiles  eat  and  drink  and 
blaspheme  and  provoke  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  — 
He  has  a  mind  to  destroy  His  world,  until  the  Law  enters 
and  pleads  in  defense,  <(  Lord  of  the  universe  !  before  Thou 
regardest  those  that  blaspheme,  look  and  behold  Thy  people 
Israel,  who  bless,  and  praise,  and  extol  Thy  great  Name, 
with  the  Law,  and  with  songs  and  with  praises  !  ”  And 
the  Holy  Spirit  shouts  (<  Flee,  my  beloved  !  flee  from  the 
Gentiles,  and  hold  fast  to  Israel  !  ” 

Midrash  Rabbah  Shh-Hashirim. 

Rabbon  Gamaliel  called  on  Chilpa,  the  son  of  Caroyna, 
when  the  latter  asked  the  Rabbi  to  pray  on  his  behalf  ;  and 


256 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


he  prayed,  ft  The  Lord  grant  thee  according  to  thine  own 

heart  *  (Ps.  xx.  4).  Rabbi  H - ,  son  of  Rabbi  Isaac, 

said,  It  was  not  so;  he  prayed  thus,  (The  Tord  fulfill  all 
thy  petitions y  ;  for  a  man  often  thinks  in  his  heart  to 
steal  or  commit  some  other  transgression,  and  therefore 
( The  Lord  grant  thee  according  to  thine  own  heart, y  is  a 
prayer  not  to  be  offered  on  behalf  of  every  man.”  But  the 
answer  was,  <(  His  heart  was  perfect  before  his  Creator,  and 
therefore  he  did  so  pray  on  his  behalf.” 

Midrash  S ho  char  Tov}  20. 

Thou  wilt  find  that  whithersoever  the  righteous  go  a 
blessing  goes  with  them.  Isaac  went  down  to  Gerar,  and 
a  blessing  followed  him.  <(  Then  Isaac  sowed,”  etc.  (Gen. 
xxvi.  12),  Jacob  went  down  to  Laban  (Gen.  xxx.  27), 
and  Laban  said,  (<  I  have  learned  by  experience  that  the 
Lord  hath  blessed  me  for  thy  sake.”  Joseph  went  down  to 
Potiphar,  and  (( the  Lord  blessed  the  Egyptian’s  house  for 
Joseph’s  sake  ”  (Gen.  xxxix.  5).  Thus  also  thou  wilt  find 
it  was  with  the  ark  which  came  down  to  the  house  of 
Obed-edom,  etc.  (2  Sam.  vi.  11).  Our  forefathers  came 
into  the  land  and  a  blessing  followed  at  their  heels,  as  it  is 
said  (Deut.  vi.  11),  (<  And  houses  full  of  good  things,”  etc. 

Yalkut  Ekev. 

<(  And  the  Lord  put  a  word  in  Balaam’s  mouth”  (Num. 
xxiii.  5).  An  angel  took  up  his  seat  in  Balaam’s  throat, 
so  that  when  he  wished  to  bless,  the  angel  permitted  him, 
but  when  he  desired  to  curse,  the  angel  tickled  his  throat 
and  stopped  him.  <(  Word  ”  in  this  place  means  simply  an 
angel  ;  as  it  is  said  (Ps.  cvii.  20),  <(  He  sent  His  word  and 
healed  them.”  Rabbi  Yochanan  says,  (<  There  was  an  iron 
nail  in  his  throat  which  permitted  him  when  he  wished  to 
bless,  but  rasped  his  throat  and  prevented  him  when  about 
to  curse.”  ((  Word  ”  in  this  place  means  only  an  iron  nail ; 
for  it  is  said  (Num.  xxxi.  23),  <(  Every  thing  (or  word, 
for  the  original  has  both  meanings)  that  may  abide  the 
fire.”  Ibid. 

Rabbi  Avin  said  four  kinds  of  excellency  were  created  in 
the  world:  (1.)  Man’s  excellency  over  the  animal  king¬ 
dom;  (2.)  the  eagle’s  excellency  over  the  feathered  tribes; 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


257 


(3.)  the  excellency  of  the  ox  over  domestic  cattle;  and 
(4.)  the  lion’s  excellency  over  the  wild  beasts.  All  were 
fixed  under  the  chariot  of  God;  as  it  is  said  (Ezek.  i.  10), 
(<As  for  the  likeness  of  their  faces,  they  four  had  the  face 
of  a  man,  the  face  of  a  lion,  the  face  of  an  ox,  and  the 
face  of  an  eagle. ”  And  why  all  this  ?  In  order  that  they 
should  not  exalt  themselves,  but  know  that  there  is  a 
kingdom  of  heaven  over  them ;  and  on  this  account  it  is 
said  (Eccles.  v.  8),  <(  He  that  is  higher  than  the  highest 
regardeth,  and  there  be  higher  than  they.”  This  is  the 
meaning  of  Exod.  xv.  1  :  (<  He  hath  triumphed  gloriously.” 

Midrash  Shemoth ,  chap.  23. 

No  man  in  Israel  despised  himself  more  than  David  when 
the  precepts  of  the  Eord  were  concerned,  and  this  is  what 
he  said  before  God  (Ps.  cxxxi.  1,  2),  ( Lord,  my  heart 

was  not  haughty  *  when  Samuel  anointed  me  king.  ( Nor 
were  mine  eyes  lofty  )  when  I  slew  Goliath.  (  Neither  did 
I  exercise  myself  in  matters  too  great  and  wonderful  for 
me  y  when  I  brought  up  the  ark.  ( Have  I  not  behaved 
myself,  and  hushed  my  soul,  as  a  babe  that  is  weaned  of 
his  mother  ?  )  As  a  child  which  is  not  ashamed  to  uncover 
himself  before  his  mother,  so  have  I  likened  myself  before 
Thee,  in  not  being  ashamed  to  depreciate  myself  before 
Thee  for  Thy  glory,”  etc.  (See  2  Sam.  vi.  20,  21.) 

Bamidbar ,  chap.  4. 

(<  I  sleep,  but  my  heart  waketh  ”  (Cant.  v.  2).  The  Syn¬ 
agogue  of  Israel  says  (<  I  sleep  ”  with  regard  to  the  end 
of  days,  <(  but  my  heart  waketh  ”  with  regard  to  the  re¬ 
demption  ;  <(  I  sleep”  with  regard  to  redemption,  but  the 
heart  of  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  waketh  to  re¬ 
deem  me.  Midrash  Shir  Hashirim . 

Rabbi  Ishmael  saith  all  the  five  fingers  of  the  right  hand 
of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  are  severally 
the  efficient  causes  of  redemptions.  (1.)  With  His  little 
finger  He  pointed  out  to  Noah  how  to  construct  the  ark  ;* 
as  it  is  said  (Gen.  vi.  15),  <(And  thus  thou  shalt  make  it.” 
(2.)  With  the  finger  next  to  the  little  one  He  smote  the 
Egyptians;  as  it  is  said  (Exod.  viii.  19),  (<  This  is  the  fin¬ 
ger  of  God.”  (3.)  With  the  third  finger  from  the  little 
17 


258 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


one  He  wrote  the  tables;  as  it  is  said  (Exod.  xxxi.  i8)r 
<(  Tables  of  stone  written  by  the  finger  of  God.”  (4.) 
With  the  fourth  finger,  that  which  is  next  the  thumb, 
the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  pointed  out  to  Moses 
how  much  the  Israelites  should  give  as  a  ransom  for  their 
souls;  as  it  is  said  (Exod.  xxx.  13),  (<  This  shall  they 
give.”  (5.)  With  the  thumb  and  the  whole  hand  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  1  —  will  in  the  future  destroy 
the  children  of  Esau,  for  they  oppress  the  children  of 
Israel,  as  also  the  children  of  Ishmael,  for  they  are  their 
enemies;  as  it  is  said  (Micah  v.  9),  (<  Thine  hand  shall  be 
uplifted  upon  thy  adversaries,  and  all  thy  enemies  shall  be 
cut  off.”  Pirke  d’Rab.  Eliezer ,  chap.  48. 

<(  For  Mine  own  sake,  for  Mine  own  sake,  will  I  do  it  ” 
(Isa.  xlviii.  11).  Why  this  repetition?  The  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He  !  —  said,  (<As  I  redeemed  you  when  you  were 
in  Egypt  for  My  name’s  sake”  —  (Ps.  cvi.  8),  (<  He  saved 
them  for  His  name’s  sake,” — <(  so  in  like  manner  wrill  I  do  it 
from  Edom  for  My  own  name’s  sake.  Again,  as  I  redeemed 
you  in  this  world,  so  likewise  will  I  redeem  you  in  the 
wrorld  to  come;”  for  thus  He  saith  (Eccles.  i.  9),  <(  The 
thing  that  hath  been  is  that  which  shall  be”  (Isa.  li.  1 1 )  ; 
<(  The  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  return  ;  ”  not  the  redeemed  of 
Elijah,  nor  the  redeemed  of  the  Messiah,  but  (( the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord.”  Midrash  Shochar  Tov  Tehillim ,  107. 

<(  Her  children  are  gone  into  captivity  before  the  enemy  ” 
(Lam.  i.  5).  Rabbi  Isaac  saith,  <(  Come  and  see  how 
greatly  beloved  are  the  children  !  ”  The  Sanhedrin  were 
exiled,  but  the  Shechinah  was  not  exiled  with  them.  The 
Temple  guards  were  exiled,  but  the  Shechinah  wTas  not 
exiled  with  them.  But  with  the  children  the  Shechinah 
also  was  exiled.  This  is  that  which  is  written  (Lam.  i. 
5,  6),  <(  Her  children  are  gone,  .  .  .  and  from  the 
daughter  of  Zion  all  her  beauty  ( i .  e. ,  the  Shechinah)  is 
departed.”  Midrash  Rabbah  Eicha. 

<(How  doth  the  city  sit  solitary!”  (Lam.  i.  1).  Three 
have,  in  prophesying,  made  use  of  this  word  (<  How  ”  — 
Moses,  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah.  Moses  said  (Deut.  i.  12), 
(<  How  can  I  myself  bear  your  cumbrance !  ”  Isaiah  said 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


259 


(Isa.  i.  21),  (<How  is  the  faithful  city  become  an  harlot !  ® 
Jeremiah  said  (Lam.  i.  1),  <(  How  doth  the  city  sit  soli¬ 
tary  !  ®  Rabbi  Levi  saith,  (<  The  thing  is  like  to  a  matron 
who  has  three  friends ;  one  saw  her  in  her  prosperity,  an¬ 
other  saw  her  in  her  dissipation,  and  the  third  saw  her  in 
her  pollution.  So  Moses  saw  Israel  in  their  glory  and 
prosperity,  and  he  said,  (<  How  can  I  myself  bear  your 
cumbrance  ! ®  Isaiah  saw  them  in  their  dissipation,  and  he 
said,  <(  How  is  the  faithful  city,®  etc.;  and  Jeremiah  saw 
them  in  their  pollution,  and  he  said,  <(  How  doth  the  city 
sit  solitary  !  ®  Midrash  Rabbah  Eicha- 

Hezekiah  saith  the  judgment  in  Gehenna  is  six  months” 
heat  and  six  months’  cold.  Midrash  Reheh. 

Gehenna  has  sixteen  mouths,  four  toward  each  cardinal 
point.  The  Gentiles  say,  <(  Hell  is  for  Israel,  but  Paradise 
is  for  us.®  The  Israelites  say,  <(Ours  is  Paradise.® 

Midrash  Aggadath  Bereshith. 

Rabbi  Yochanan  ben  Zachai  says,  that  coming  once  upon 
a  man  who  was  gathering  wood,  he  addressed  him,  but  at 
first  he  made  no  reply.  Afterward,  however,  he  came  up 
and  said,  <(  Rabbi,  I’m  not  a  living  man,  but  a  dead  one.® 
<(  If  thou  art  a  dead  man,®  said  I,  (<  what  is  this  wood 
for?®  He  replied,  (<  When  I  was  alive  upon  earth,  I  and 
an  associate  of  mine  committed  a  certain  sin  in  my  shop, 
and  when  we  were  taken  thence,  we  were  sentenced  to  the 
punishment  of  mutual  burning ;  so  I  gather  wood  to  burn 
him,  and  he  does  the  same  to  burn  me.®  I  then  asked 
him,  (<How  long  are  you  to  be  punished  thus?®  He  re¬ 
plied,  (<  When  I  came  here  my  wife  was  enceinte ,  and  I 
know  she  gave  birth  to  a  boy.  May  I  beg  thee,  therefore, 
to  see  that  the  child  is  instructed  by  a  teacher,  for  as 
soon  as  he  is  able  to  repeat,  ( Bless  ye  the  blessed  Lord  ! > 
I  shall  be  brought  up  hence  and  be  free  from  this  punish¬ 
ment  in  hell.®  Tanu  d'by  Eliyahu. 

Rabbi  Berachia  saith,  (<  In  order  that  the  Minim,  apos¬ 
tates,  and  wicked  Israelites  might  not  escape  hell  on  ac¬ 
count  of  their  circumcision,  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be 
Pie  !  —  sends  an  angel  to  undo  the  effects  of  it,  and  they 
straightway  descend  to  their  doom.  When  Gehenna  sees 


26o 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


this,  she  opens  her  mouth  and  licks  them.”  This  is  the 
purport  of  (Isa.  v.  14),  <(  And  she  opened  her  mouth  to 
those  without  law”  (i.  e.,  to  those  without  the  sign  of  the 
covenant).  Midrash  Rabbath  Shemoth,  cnap.  19. 

<(  God  hath  also  set  the  one  over  against  the  other  ” 
(Eccles.  vii.  14),  i.  e.y  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  in 
order  that  the  one  should  atone  for  the  other.  God  created 
the  poor  and  the  rich,  in  order  that  the  one  should  be 
maintained  by  the  other.  He  created  Paradise  and 
Gehenna,  in  order  that  those  in  the  one  should  deliver 
those  in  the  other.  And  what  is  the  distance  between 
them?  Rabbi  Chanina  saith  the  width  of  the  wall  (be¬ 
tween  Paradise  and  Gehenna)  is  a  handbreadth. 

Yalkut  Koheleth. 

a  Those  passing  through  the  valley  of  weeping  make  it  a 
well ;  also  blessings  shall  cover  the  teacher  ”  (Ps.  lxxxiv. 
6,  A.  V.).  <(The  valley  of  weeping”  is  Gehenna.  <(  Make 
it  a  well,”  for  their  tears  are  like  a  well  or  spring.  <(Also 
blessings  shall  cover  the  teacher.”  Rabbi  Yochanan  saith, 
<(  The  praises  of  God  that  ascend  from  Gehenna  are  more 
than  those  that  ascend  from  Paradise,  for  each  one  that  is 
a  step  higher  than  his  neighbor  praises  God,  and  says, 
( Happy  am  I  that  I  am  a  step  higher  than  the  one  be¬ 
low  meP  (  Also  blessings  shall  cover  the  teacher/  for  they 
will  acknowledge  and  say,  (Ye  have  taught  well,  and  ye 
have  instructed  well,  but  we  have  not  obeyed/” 

Yalkut  Tehillim ,  84. 

Those  of  the  house  of  Eliyahu  have  taught  that  Gehenna 
is  above  the  sky,  but  some  say  it  is  behind  the  mountains 
of  darkness.  Tanu  d'  by  Eliyahu. 

Gehenna  was  created  before  Paradise  ;  the  former  on  the 
second  day  and  the  latter  on  the  third.  Yalkut. 

In  T.  B.  P’sachim,  fol.  54,  col.  1,  it  is  said  that  the  reason  of  the 
omission  of  the  words,  (<And  God  saw  that  it  was  good,0  in  respect  to 
the  second  day  of  the  creative  week,  was  because  hell-fire  was  then 
created ;  but  see  the  context. 

When  Adam  saw  (through  the  Spirit)  that  his  posterity 
would  be  condemned  to  Gehenna,  he  disobeyed  the  precept 
to  procreate.  But  when  he  perceived  that  after  twenty-six 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


261 


generations  the  Israelites  would  accept  the  law,  he  bestirred 
himself  in  compliance  ;  as  it  is  said  (Gen.  iv.  1),  Adam 
vero  cognovit  uxorem  suam  Hevam.  Yalkut. 

<(  And  the  souls  they  had  gotten  in  Haran  w  (Gen.  xii.  5). 
These  are  they  who  had  been  made  proselytes.  Who¬ 
ever  attracts  a  Gentile  and  proselytizes  him  is  as  much  as 
if  he  had  created  him.  Abraham  did  so  to  men  and  Sarah 
to  women.  Bereshith  Midrash  Rabbah. 

“Sing  and  rejoice })  (Zech.  ii.  10).  The  Holy  One  — 
blessed  be  He  !  —  will  in  the  future  bring  all  the  proselytes 
that  were  proselytized  in  this  world,  and  judge  all  the  na¬ 
tions  of  the  world  in  their  presence.  He  will  say  to  them, 
Why  have  ye  left  Me  and  served  idols,  which  are  noth¬ 
ing  ? J)  They  will  reply  and  say,  (<  Had  we  applied  at  Thy 
door,  Thou  wouldst  not  have  received  us.})  Then  will  He 
say  to  them,  (<  Let  the  proselytes  that  were  made  from  among 
you  come  forward  and  testify  against  you.**  P sikta. 

These  are  the  pious  female  proselytes — Hagar,  Osenatli, 
Zipporah,  Shiphrah,  Puali,  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  (Bathia), 
Rahab,  Ruth,  and  Jael.  Yalkut  Yehoshua ,  9. 

(<  The  Lord  keepeth  the  proselytes (Ps.  cxlvi.  9).  (<  I 

esteem  it  a  great  compliment  on  the  part  of  the  proselyte 
to  leave  his  family  and  his  father’s  house  and  come  to  Me. 
Therefore  I  on  My  part  will  command  respecting  him 
(Deut.  x.  19),  (  Love  ye  therefore  the  proselyte. )  }> 

Midrash  Shochar  Tov ,  146. 

<(  I  am  a  God  near  at  hand (Jer.  xxiii.  23).  (( I  am 

He  who  drew  Jethro  near,  and  did  not  keep  him  at  a  dis¬ 
tance  }>  ;  therefore  thou  also  when  a  man  comes  to  be  prose¬ 
lytized  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  draw  him  near,  do  not 
repulse  him  or  keep  him  at  a  distance.  From  this  thou  art 
to  learn  that  while  one  repulses  with  the  left  hand  he  is 
to  draw  with  the  right,  and  not  as  Klisha  did.  (He  re¬ 
pulsed  Gehazi  with  both  hands.)  Yalkut  Jeremiah. 

Showers  of  rain  are  geater  than  the  giving  of  the  Law, 
for  the  giving  of  the  Law  was  a  gladsome  event  to  Israel 
only,  but  rain  is  a  cause  of  joy  to  the  wide  world,  includ¬ 
ing  cattle,  beasts,  and  fowls.  Midrash  Shochar  Tov ,  117 


262 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


David  was  a  shepherd  of  Israel,  and  the  Shepherd  of 
David  was  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  as  it  is  said 
(Ps.  xxiii.  1),  <(  The  Lord  is  my  Shepherd. ” 

Midrash  Rabbah ,  chap.  59. 

Rav  Pinchas  says,  <(  David  in  the  Psalms  calls  five  times 
upon  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  to  arise.  (1.) 
( Arise,  O  Lord;  save  me,  O  my  God  !  )  (Ps.  iii.  7). 
(2.)  (  Arise,  O  Lord,  in  Thine  anger  !  >  (Ps.  vii.  6).  (3.) 

(  Arise,  O  Lord,  let  not  man  prevail  ! }  (Ps.  ix.  19). 
(4.)  ( Arise,  O  Lord;  O  God,  lift  up  Thine  hand:  forget 
not  the  humble  !  >  (Ps.  x.  12).  (5.)  {  Arise,  O  Lord;  dis¬ 

appoint  him  ! }  But  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  said 
unto  David,  ( My  son,  though  thou  call  upon  Me  many  a 
time  to  arise,  I  will  not  arise.  But  when  do  I  arise? 
When  thou  seest  the  poor  oppressed  and  the  needy  sigh¬ 
ing,  then  will  I  arise.*”  This  explains  what  is  written 
(Ps.  xii.  5),  <(  For  the  oppression  of  the  poor,  for  the 
sighing  of  the  needy,  now  will  I  arise,  saith  the  Lord.” 

Bamidbar  Rabbah)  chap.  75. 

(<  And  Solomon’s  wisdom  excelled”  (1  Kings  iv.  30). 
Thou  findest  that  when  Solomon  desired  to  build  the 
Temple  he  sent  to  Pharaoh  Necho  a  request  to  send  him 
artisans  on  hire.  Pharaoh  assembled  his  astrologers,  who 
pointed  out  to  him  such  artisans  as  were  destined  to  die 
in  the  course  of  that  year,  and  these  he  despatched  to 
Solomon  ;  but  he,  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  seeing  the  fate 
that  impended,  provided  each  of  them  with  a  shroud  and 
sent  them  back  to  Pharaoh  with  the  message,  (<  Hast  thou 
no  shrouds  in  which  to  bury  thine  own  dead  ?  Behold 
here  I  have  provided  them  with  them  !  ”  <(  For  he  was 

wiser  than  all  men”  (1  Kings  iv.  31)  ;  <(  than  all  men,” 
even  than  the  first  man,  Adam. 

Yalkut  Eliezer ,  fol.  65,  col.  2,  n.  36. 

<(  Ye  are  My  witnesses,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  am  God  * 
(Isa.  xliii.  12).  Rabbi  Shimon  ben  Yochai  expounds  these 
words  thus,  <(  If  ye  are  My  witnesses,  then  I  am  God ;  but 
if  ye  are  not  My  witnesses,  then  I  am  not  God.” 

Yalkut  Jethro ,  n.  271. 


THE  MIDRASHIM 


263 


(<  Let  us  hear  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter ” 
(Eccles.  xii.  13).  Thou  shalt  ever  hear  the  Law,  even 
when  thou  dost  not  understand  it.  <(  Fear  God,”  and  give 
thy  heart  to  Him.  <(  And  keep  His  commandments,”  for 
on  account  of  the  Law  the  whole  world  was  created,  that 
the  world  should  study  it. 

Koheleth ,  as  given  in  Tse-enah  Ure-enah. 


I 


THE  KABBALA 


<(The  words  of  the  wise  and  their  dark  sayings })  (Prov.  i.  6). 


(265) 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 


he  Hebrew  word  Kabbal  means  <(  to  receive,”  and  its 


derivative,  Kabbalah,  signifies,  <(  a  thing  received,” 


viz,  ((  Tradition,”  which,  together  with  the  written 
law,  Moses  received  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  we  are  told  in 
the  Talmud,  Rosh  Hashanah,  fol.  19,  col.  1,  i.  e .,  <(  The 
words  of  the  Kabbalah  are  just  the  same  as  the  words  of 
the  law.”  In  another  part  of  this  work  we  have  seen  that 
the  Rabbis  declare  the  Kabbalah  to  be  above  the  law. 

The  Kabbalah  is  divided  into  two  parts,  viz,  the  sym¬ 
bolical  and  the  real. 


The  Symboeicae  Kabbaeah 


This  teaches  the  secret  of  mystic  sense  of  Scripture,  and 
the  thirteen  rules  by  which  the  observance  of  the  law  is, 
not  logically,  but  Kabbalistically  expounded ;  viz,  the  rules  of 
(<  Gematria,”  of  <(  Notricon,”  of  (<  Temurah,”  etc.  To  give  some 
idea  of  this  kind  of  exposition,  we  will  explain  each  of  these 
three  rules  in  a  manner  which,  though  in  the  style  of  the 
Rabbis,  will  easily  be  understood  by  the  Gentile  reader. 

1 .  (<  Gematria.  ”  This  rule  depends  on  the  numerical  value 
of  each  letter  in  the  alphabet.  The  application  of  this  rule 
in  the  solution  of  a  disputed  point  is  often  such  as  to 
show  quite  as  much  absurdity  as  ingenuity.  To  make  the 
subject  still  more  clear,  let  us  assume  that  a  standard  nu¬ 
merical  value  is  attached  to  each  letter  in  the  English  alpha¬ 
bet.  A  has  the  value  of  1,  B 2,  C  3,  D  4,  E  5,  F  6,  G  7, 
H  8,  /  9 ,  /  10,  K  20,  L  30,  M 40,  N  50,  O  60,  P  70,  0  80, 
R  90,  6*  100,  T  200,  U  300,  V  400,  W  500,  X  1000,  Y  10,- 
000,  Z  100,000.  And  let  us  now  assume  a  point  in  dispute 
in  order  to  illustrate  how  it  is  solved  by  Gematria.  Sup¬ 
pose  that  the  subject  of  discussion  is  the  comparative  su¬ 
periority  of  the  Hebrew  and  English  languages,  and  Hugo 
and  Baruch  are  the  disputants.  The  former,  being  a  He¬ 
brew,  holds  that  the  Hebrew  is  superior  to  the  English, 


(267) 


268 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 


(<  because,”  says  be,  <(  the  numerical  value  of  the  letters 
that  form  the  word  Hebrew  is  610  ;  whereas  the  numerical 
value  of  English  is  only  209. ”  The  latter,  being  an  Eng¬ 
lishman,  holds,  of  course,  exactly  the  contrary  opinion,  and 
argues  as  follows :  <(  All  the  learned  world  must  admit 

that  the  English  is  a  living  language,  but  not  so  the  He¬ 
brew  ;  and  as  it  is  written  (Eccles.  ix.  4)  that  (  A  living 
dog  is  better  than  a  dead  lion,*  I  therefore  maintain  that 
the  English  is  superior  to  the  Hebrew.”  The  dispute  was 
referred  to  an  Oxford  authority  for  decision,  and  a  certain 
learned  doctor  decided  it  by  — 

2.  <(Notricon.”  This  consists  in  forming  a  decisive  sen¬ 
tence  composed  of  words  whose  initial  letters  are  in  a  given 
word  ;  for  instance,  Hebrew : — <(//iigo’s  excels  i?aruch’s  rea¬ 
soning  <?very  way.”  English  : — ((  Anglish  720  ^ood  /anguage, 
is  scarcely  harmonious  ;  ”  but  Hebrew  :  —  <(  /holy,  elegant, 
/brilliant,  resonant,  eliciting  wonder  !  ”  This  is  a  fair  speci¬ 
men  of  how  to  get  at  the  secret  sense  of  a  word  by  the 
rule  of  <(  Notricon,”  and  now  we  will  proceed  to  explain  — 

3.  (<Temurah.”  This  means  permutation,  or  a  change  of 
the  letters  of  the  alphabet  after  a  regularly  adopted  sys¬ 
tem.  We  know  only  five  such  permuted  alphabets,  but 
there  may  be  more.  The  technical  names  of  these  five  al¬ 
phabets  are  :  <(Atbash,”  (<Atbach,”  ((Albam,”  <(Aiakbechar,” 
and  ((Tashrak.”  We  will  try  to  explain  the  first  permuted 
alphabet  only,  as  a  mere  specimen,  for  the  general  reader 
is  not  quite  prepared  to  comprehend  the  rest,  and  a  hint 
for  the  scholar  is  sufficient. 

Here  let  the  reader  observe  that  as  the  letters  of  the 
English  alphabet  are  more  numerous  and  differently  desig¬ 
nated  and  arranged  than  those  of  the  Hebrew,  the  ((Atbash  ” 
of  the  Hebrew  must  necessarily  become  <(  Azby  ”  in  Eng¬ 
lish.  If  now  we  write  on  one  line  and  in  regular  order  the 
first  half  of  the  alphabet,  and  the  other  half  on  the  second 
line,  but  in  reversed  order,  thus  :  — 

a  b  c  d  e  fghijklm 

z  y  x  w  v  u  t  s  r  q  p  0  n 

we  get  thirteen  couples  of  letters  which  exchange  one  with 
the  other,  viz,  a  and  z ,  b  and  y ,  c  and  jt,  etc.  These  let- 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE 


269 


ters,  when  exchanged,  give  rise  to  a  permuted  alphabet,  and 
this  permuted  alphabet  takes  its  technical  name  from  the 
first  two  couples  of  letters,  a  and  z,  b  and  y,  or  (<  Azby. * 
Now  if  we  wish  to  write,  ((  Meddle  not  with  them  that  are 
given  to  change, w  you  have  to  change  the  letters  of  the 
couples  and  the  following  will  be  the  result :  <(  Nvwwov 
mlg  drgs  gsvn  gszg  ziv  trem  gl  xszmtvA  This  is  a  speci¬ 
men  of  the  mysterious  Temurah,  and  the  <(Azby })  is  the 
key  to  it.  The  other  four  permuted  alphabets  are  of  a 
similar  nature  and  character,  and  are  so  highly  esteemed 
among  the  sages  and  bards  of  Israel,  that  they  often  use 
them  in  their  literary  and  poetical  compositions.  The 
Machzorim,  or  the  Jewish  Liturgies  for  the  festivals,  are 
full  of  compositions  where  the  first  letters  of  the  sentences 
follow  the  order  of  either  the  “Atbash®  or  ^Tashrak.^ 
The  latter  is  simply  a  reversed  order  of  the  alphabet. 

The  Reae  Kabbaeah 

The  (<  Real  Kabbalah })  consists  of  theoretical  and  practi¬ 
cal  mysteries. 

1.  The  theoretical  mysteries  treat  about  the  ten  spheres, 
the  four  worlds,  the  essence  and  various  names  of  God  and 
of  angels,  also  of  the  celestial  hierarchy  and  its  influences 
and  effects  on  this  lower  world,  of  the  mysteries  of  cre¬ 
ation,  of  the  mystical  chariot  described  by  the  Prophet 
Ezekiel,  of  the  different  orders  and  offices  of  angels  and 
demons,  also  of  a  great  many  other  deep  subjects,  too  deep 
for  comprehension. 

2.  The  practical  Kabbalah  is  a  branch  of  the  theoretical, 
and  treats  of  the  practical  use  of  the  mysterious  names  of 
God  and  of  angels.  By  uttering  properly  the  Shem-ham- 
mephorash,  i.  e .,  the  ineffable  name  of  Jehovah,  or  the  names 
or  certain  angels,  or  by  the  mere  repetition  of  certain  Scrip¬ 
ture  texts,  miracles  and  wonders  were  and  still  are  per¬ 
formed  in  the  Jewish  world. 


THE  KABBALA 


Know  thou  that  the  613  Precepts  of  the  Law  form  a 
compact  with  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  and 
with  Israel,  as  it  is  often  explained  in  the  Zohar. 
It  is  written  (Exod.  iii.  15),  <(  This  is  My  name,  and  this 
is  My  memorial.”  <(  My  name,”  in  the  Hebrew  characters, 
together  with  (<  Yeho,”  amounts  numerically  to  365  ;  “Vah,” 
together  with  (<  My  memorial,”  amounts  to  248.  Here  we 
have  the  number  613  in  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He! 
The  soul  is  a  portion  of  God  from  above,  and  this  is  mys¬ 
tically  intimated  by  the  degrees  of  breath,  spirit,  soul,” 
the  initial  and  final  letters  of  which  amount  to  613,  while 
the  middle  letters  of  these  amount  to  the  number  of  <(  Lord, 
Almighty,  God.”  The  soul  of  Moses  our  Rabbi  —  peace  be 
on  him  !  —  embraced  all  the  souls  of  Israel  ;  as  it  is  said, 
Moses  was  equivalent  to  all  Israel.  ((  Moses  our  Rabbi” 
amounts  to  613;  and  <(Lord  God  of  Israel”  also  amounts 
to  613.  Kitzur  Shilu ,  p.  2,  col.  2. 

Now  let  us  illustrate  the  subject  of  (<fear  and  love.” 
Fear  proceedeth  from  love  and  love  proceedeth  from  fear. 
And  this  you  may  demonstrate  by  writing  their  letters 
one  over  the  other,  and  then  dividing  them  by  horizontal 
and  perpendicular  lines,  thus  Love  perfecteth  fear,  and  fear 
perfecteth  love.  This  is  to  teach  thee  that  both  are  united 
together.  Ibid .,  p.  4,  col.  2. 

The  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  often  brings  affliction 
on  the  righteous  though  they  have  not  sinned,  in  order 
that  they  may  learn  to  keep  aloof  from  the  allurements  of 
the  world  and  eschew  temptation  to  sin.  From  this  it 
is  plain  that  afflictions  are  good  for  man,  and  therefore  our 
Rabbis,  of  blessed  memory,  have  said,  <(  As  men  bless  with 
joy  and  a  sincere  heart  for  a  benefit  received,  so  likewise 
ought  they  joyfully  to  bless  God  when  He  afflicts  them,  as, 
though  the  special  blessing  be  hidden  from  the  children  of 

(271) 


272 


THE  KABBALA 


men,  such  affliction  is  surely  intended  for  good.  .  .  . 

Or  most  souls  being  at  present  in  a  state  of  transmigration, 
God  requites  a  man  now  for  what  his  soul  merited  in  a 
bypast  time  in  another  body,  by  having  broken  some  of 
the  613  precepts. }>  Kitzur  S/d  lu,  p.  6,  col.  1. 

Thus  we  have  the  rule :  No  one  is  perfect  unless  he 
has  thoroughly  observed  all  the  613  precepts.  If  this  be 
so,  who  is  he  and  where  is  he  that  has  observed  all  the 
613  precepts?  For  even  the  lord  of  the  prophets,  Moses 
our  Rabbi  —  peace  be  on  him!  —  had  not  observed  them 
all ;  for  there  are  four  obstacles  which  hinder  one  from  ob¬ 
serving  all  :  (1.)  There  is  the  case  of  complete  preven¬ 

tion,  such  as  the  law  of  the  priesthood,  the  precepts  of 
which  only  priests  can  observe,  and  yet  these  precepts  are 
included  in  the  613.  Besides,  there  are  among  the  number 
precepts  appertaining  to  the  Tevites  which  concern  neither 
priests  nor  Israelites,  and  also  others  which  are  binding  on 
Israelites  with  which  priests  and  Tevites  have  nothing  what¬ 
ever  to  do.  (2.)  Then  there  are  impossible  cases,  as,  for 
instance,  when  one  cannot  observe  the  precept  which  en¬ 
forces  circumcision,  because  he  has  not  a  son  to  circumcise. 
(3  and  4.)  There  are  also  conditional  and  exceptional  cases, 
as  in  the  case  of  precepts  having  reference  to  the  Temple 
and  to  the  land  of  Israel.  Ibid.,  p.  6,  col.  2. 

Therefore  every  Israelite  is  bound  to  observe  only  such 
of  the  613  precepts  as  are  possible  to  him  ;  and  such  as  he 
has  not  observed  in  consequence  of  hindrances  arising  from 
unpreventable  causes  will  be  reckoned  to  him  as  if  actually 
performed.  Ibid. 

The  Yalkut  Shimeoni,  in  true  Rabbinical  style,  amplifies  still 
farther  the  license  conceded  in  the  above  quotations.  Rabbi  Eliezer 
says  that  the  Israelites  bewailed  thus  before  God,  exclaiming,  ((We 
would  fain  be  occupied  night  and  day  in  the  law,  but  we  have  not 
the  necessary  leisure. w  Then  the  Holy  One — blessed  be  He!  —  said, 
<(  Perform  the  commandment  of  the  Phylacteries,  and  I  will  account 
it  as  if  you  were  occupied  night  and  day  in  the  study  of  the  law.}> 

Anyhow,  all  the  precepts  are  being  observed  by  all  Israel 
taken  together,  viz,  the  priests  observe  their  part,  the 
Fevites  theirs,  and  the  Israelites  theirs ;  thus  the  whole 
keep  all.  For  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  has  writ- 


THE  KABBALA 


273 


ten  a  law  for  His  faithful  servants,  the  nation  of  Israel,  and 
as  a  nation  they  keep  the  whole  law.  It  is  as  once  when 
a  king  wrote  to  his  subjects  thus,  (<  Behold,  I  command 
you  to  prepare  for  war  against  the  enemy  ;  raise  the  walls 
higher,  collect  arms,  and  store  up  victuals  ;  ”  and  those  that 
were  builders  looked  after  the  walls,  the  armorers  after 
the  weapons,  the  farmers  after  the  stores  of  food,  etc.,  etc. 
Each,  according  to  his  ability,  did  all  that  was  required  of 
him,  and  all  unitedly  fulfilled  the  king’s  command. 

Kitzur  Shllu,  p.  6,  col.  2. 

He  who  neglects  to  observe  any  of  the  613  precepts,  such 
as  were  possible  for  him  to  observe,  is  doomed  to  undergo 
transmigration  (once  or  more  than  once)  till  he  has  actu¬ 
ally  observed  all  he  had  neglected  to  do  in  a  former  state 
of  being.  Ibid. 

The  sages  of  truth  (the  Kabbalists)  remark  that  Adam 
contains  the  initial  letters  of  Adam,  David,  and  Messiah  ; 
for  after  Adam  sinned  his  soul  passed  into  David,  and  the  latter 
having  also  sinned,  it  passed  into  the  Messiah.  The  full 
text  is,  <(They  shall  serve  the  Eord  their  God,  and  David 
their  king,  whom  I  will  raise  up  to  them  ”  (Jer.  xxx.  9)  ; 
and  it  is  written,  (<  My  servant  David  shall  be  their  king 
forever”  (Ezek.  xxxvii.  25)  ;  and  thus  <(  They  shall  seek  the 
Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king”  (Hosea  iii.  5). 

Nishmath  Chaim ,  fol.  152,  col.  2. 

Know  thou  that  Cain’s  essential  soul  passed  into  Jethro, 
but  his  spirit  into  Korah,  and  his  animal  soul  into  the 
Egyptian.  This  is  what  Scripture  saith,  <(  Cain  shall  be 
avenged  sevenfold”  (Gen.  iv.  24),  i.  e .,  the  initial  letters 
of  the  Hebrew  word  rendered  <(  shall  be  avenged,”  form  the 
initials  of  Jethro,  Korah,  and  Egyptian.  .  .  .  Samson 

the  hero  was  possessed  by  the  soul  of  Japhet,  and  Job  by 
that  of  Terah.  Yalkut  Reubeni ,  Nos.  9,  18,  24. 

Cain  had  robbed  the  twin  sister  of  Abel,  and  therefore 
his  soul  passed  into  Jethro.  Moses  was  possessed  by  the 
.soul  of  Abel,  and  therefore  Jethro  gave  his  daughter  to 
Moses.  Yalkut  Chadash ,  fol.  127,  col.  3. 

If  a  man  be  niggardly  either  in  a  financial  or  a  spiritual 
regard,  giving  nothing  of  his  money  to  the  poor  or  not 

18 


274 


THE  KABBALA 


imparting  of  his  knowledge  to  the  ignorant,  he  shall  be 
punished  by  transmigration  into  a  woman.  .  .  .  Know 

thou  that  Sarah,  Hannah,  the  Shunammite  (2  Kings  iv.  8), 
and  the  widow  of  Zarepta  were  each  in  turn  possessed  by 
the  soul  of  Eve.  .  .  .  The  soul  of  Rahab  transmigrated 

into  Heber  the  Kenite,  and  afterward,  into  Hannah  ;  and  this 
is  the  mystery  of  her  words,  <(  I  am  a  woman  of  a  sorrow¬ 
ful  spirit”  (1  Sam.  i.  15),  for  there  still  lingered  in  her 
soul  a  sorrowful  sense  of  inherited  defilement.  .  .  .  Eli 

possessed  the  soul  of  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite. 

.  .  .  Sometimes  the  souls  of  pious  Jews  pass  by  metemp¬ 

sychosis  into  Gentiles,  in  order  that  they  may  plead  on 
behalf  of  Israel  and  treat  them  kindly.  For  this  reason  have 
our  Rabbis  of  blessed  memory  said,  (<  The  pious  of  the  na¬ 
tions  of  the  world  have  a  portion  in  the  world  to  come.” 

Yalkut  Reubeni ,  Nos.  1,  8,  61,  63. 

We  have  it  by  tradition  that  when  Moses  our  Rabbi  — 
peace  be  unto  him! — said  in  the  law,  (<  O  God,  the  God 
of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh  ”  (Num.  xvi.  22),  he  meant  mys¬ 
tically  to  intimate  that  metempsychosis  takes  place  in  all 
flesh,  in  beasts,  reptiles,  and  fowls.  <(  Of  all  flesh  ”  is,  as 
it  were,  <(  in  all  flesh.”  Avodath  Hakodesh ,  fol.  49,  col.  3. 

It  is  also  needful  that  thou  shouldst  know  that  the  Kabbal- 
ists  believe  in  metempsychosis  from  the  body  of  one  species 
into  the  body  of  another  species.  Thou  hast  already  been 
informed  of  the  mystery  of  clean  and  unclean  animals  ;  and 
some  of  the  later  sages  of  the  Kabbalah  say  that  the  soul 
of  an  unclean  person  will  transmigrate  into  an  unclean  ani¬ 
mal,  or  into  abominable  creeping  things  or  reptiles.  .  . 

For  one  form  of  uncleanness  the  soul  will  be  invested 
with  the  body  of  a  Gentile,  who  will  (eventually)  become 
a  proselyte  ;  for  another,  the  soul  will  pass  into  the  body 
of  a  mule  ;  for  others,  it  transmigrates  into  an  ass,  a  woman 
of  Ashdod,  a  bat,  a  rabbit  or  a  hare,  a  she-mule  or  a 
camel.  Ishmael  transmigrated  first  into  the  she-ass  of  Ba¬ 
laam,  and  subsequently  into  the  ass  of  Rabbi  Pinchas  ben 
Yair.  Nishmath  Chaim ,  chap.  13,  No.  14. 

The  last  paragraph  may  be  illustrated  by  the  well-known  story 
of  the  ass  of  R.  Pinchas,  which  persistently  objected  to  feed  on 


THE  KABBALA 


275 


untithed  provender.  This  is  also  said  of  the  ass  of  Rabbi  Chanina  ben 
Dossa.  See  Avoth  d’Rab.  Nathan,  chap.  8. 

Sometimes  the  soul  of  a  righteous  man  may  be  found  in 
the  body  of  a  clean  animal  or  fowl. 

Caphtor  Upherach ,  fol.  51,  col.  2. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  one  sacrifices  an  animal  with 
a  human  soul  in  it.  And  this  is  the  mystic  meaning  of 
(Ps.  xxxvi.  6),  <(  O  Lord,  thou  preservest  man  and  beast.” 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  we  are  commanded  to  have  our 
slaughtering-knife  without  defect,  for  who  knows  if  there 
be  not  a  transmigrated  soul  in  the  animal?  .  .  .  There¬ 

fore  the  slaughter  must  needs  be  delicately  done  and  the 
mode  critically  examined,  on  account  of  that  which  is 
written  (Lev.  xix.  18),  (<  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself.”  Nishmath  Chaim ,  chap.  13,  No.  4. 

At  each  of  the  three  meals  of  the  Sabbath  one  should 
eat  fish,  for  into  them  the  souls  of  the  righteous  are  trans¬ 
migrated.  And  in  relation  to  them  it  is  written  (Num.  xi. 
22),  «  All  the  fish  of  the  sea  shall  be  gathered  together 
for  them.”  Yalkut  Chadash ,  fol.  20,  col.  4,  No.  9. 

The  soul  of  a  slanderer  is  transmigrated  into  a  silent 
stone.  Emeh  Hamel'ech,  fol.  153,  col.  2. 

Rabbi  Isaac  Luria  was  once  passing  the  great  academy 
of  Rabbi  Yochanan  in  Tiberias,  where  he  showed  his 
disciples  a  stone  in  the  wall,  remarking,  <(  In  this  stone 
there  is  a  transmigrated  soul,  and  it  cries  that  I  should  * 
pray  on  its  behalf.  And  this  is  the  mystic  meaning  of 
(Hab.  ii.  11),  (The  stone  shall  cry  out  of  the  wallP” 

Ibid.,  fol.  11,  col.  2. 

The  murderer  is  transmigrated  into  water.  The  mystical 
sign  of  this  is  indicated  in  (Deut.  xii.  16),  <(Ye  shall  pour 
it  upon  the  earth  as  water ;  ”  and  the  meaning  is,  he  is 
continually  rolling  on  and  on  without  any  rest.  Therefore 
let  no  man  drink  (direct)  from  a  running  tap  or  spout, 
but  from  the  hollow  of  his  hands,  lest  a  soul  pass  into 
him,  and  that  the  soul  of  a  wicked  sinner. 

Ibid. ,  fol.  153,  cols.  1,  2. 

One  who  sins  with  a  married  woman  is,  after  undergoing 
the  penalty  of  wandering  about  as  a  fugitive  and  vagabond, 


2  76 


THE  KAEBALA 


transmigrated,  together  with  his  accomplice,  into  the  miil- 
stone  of  a  water-mill,  according  to  the  mystery  of  (Job 
xxxi.  io),  a  L,et  my  wife  grind  unto  another. ” 

Emeh  Hamelech ,  fol.  153,  cols.  1,2. 

A  butcher  who  kills  an  animal  with  a  defective  knife 
will  die  of  the  plague,  and  his  soul  will  pass  into  a  dog, 
whom  he  thus  deprives  of  what  belongs  to  him  ;  for  it  is 
said  (Exod.  xxii.  31),  Ye  shall  cast  it  to  the  dogs.” 

Kitzur  Sh'lh,  fol.  17,  col.  2. 

An  animal  slaughtered  with  an  improper  knife  is  considered  as  if  it 
had  been  ((torn  of  beasts  in  the  field, y>  and  the  flesh  of  it,  according 
ing  to  the  law,  belongs  to  the  dogs.  A  careless  butcher,  selling  the 
meat  as  food  for  man,  deprives  the  dog  of  his  due. 

The  sages  of  truth  have  written,  <(  He  who  does  not 
wash  his  hands  before  eating,  as  the  Rabbis  of  blessed 
memory  have  ordained,  will  be  transmigrated  into  a  cata¬ 
ract,  where  he  will  have  no  rest,  even  as  a  murderer,  who 
is  also  transmigrated  into  water.”  Ibid.,  fol.  21,  col.  2. 

After  washing  his  hands  before  a  meal,  he  is  to  stretch 
out  his  fingers  and  turn  the  palms  of  his  hands  upward, 
as  if  in  the  act  of  receiving  something  from  a  friend,  and 
then  repeat  (Ps.  cxxxiv.  2),  “Rift  ye  up  your  holy  hands, 
and  bless  ye  the  Rord  !  ”  Ibid. 

The  following  are  the  usual  blessings,  <(  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord, 
our  God !  King  of  the  universe !  who  has  sanctified  us  with  His 
commandments,  and  has  commanded  us  to  wash  the  hands  !  ® 
<(  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord,  our  God !  King  of  the  universe !  who 
bringeth  forth  bread  from  the  earth  ! >y 

By  means  of  combining  the  letters  of  the  ineffable  names, 
as  recorded  in  <(  Book  of  Creation,”  Rava  once  created  a 
man  and  sent  him  to  Rav  Zera.  The  man  being  unable  to 
reply  when  spoken  to,  the  Rabbi  said  to  him,  <(  Thou  art 
a  creation  of  the  company  (initiated  in  the  mysteries  of 
necromancy)  ;  return  to  thy  dust.” 

Sanhedrin ,  fol.  65,  col.  2. 

In  the  Jerusalem  Talmud,  Sanhedrin,  chap.  7,  we  read  that,  by  the 
means  above  mentioned,  a  Rabbi  created  pumpkins,  melons,  and  real 
deer  and  roes. 

There  is  a  living  creature  in  heaven  which  by  day  has 
<(  Truth  ”  upon  its  forehead,  by  which  the  angels  know  it 


THE  KABBALA 


277 


is  day ;  but  in  the  evening  it  has  <(  Faith w  on  its  fore¬ 
head,  whereby  the  angels  know  that  night  is  near.  Each 
time  the  living  creature  says,  <(  Bless  ye  the  blessed  Ford,” 
all  the  hosts  above  respond,  <(  Blessed  be  the  blessed  Ford 
forever. w  Kitzur  Sh’lh,  fol.  42.  col.  2. 

Truth  and  faith  are  the  essentials  of  religion,  which  are 
thirteen  in  number  :  — 

1.  God  exists,  and  there  is  no  period  to  His  existence. 
The  philosophers  call  it  absolute  existence,  but  the  ma¬ 
jority  of  Kabbalists  term  it  <(  endless, which,  by  Gematria, 
is  light }> ;  and  again,  by  Gematria,  is  (<  Ford  of  the  Uni¬ 
verse. }>  He  is  the  cause  of  causes  and  the  causing  of 
causings,  and  from  or  by  His  existence  all  beings,  spiritual 
and  material,  derive  their  existence. 

2.  He  is  one,  and  there  is  no  unity  like  His,  etc. 

3.  He  has  no  bodily  likeness,  and  is  not  corporeal. 

4.  He  is  first  of  everything,  absolute  beginning  ;  as  it  is 
said,  (<  I  am  the  First  and  I  am  the  Fast  ®  (Isa.  xliv  6), 
and  there  is  no  beginning  to  His  beginning. 

5.  None  but  Himself  is  to  be  worshiped  and  prayed  to. 

6.  The  gift  of  prophecy  He  has  given  to  men  esteemed 
and  glorified  by  Him. 

7.  None  arose  like  unto  Moses,  etc. 

8.  A  law  of  truth  He  gave ;  this  is  the  law  from 
heaven,  <(  In  the  beginning }>  unto  (<  in  the  sight  of  all 
Israel. )}  Also  its  comment  received  orally  is  likewise  (<  a 
law  (given)  unto  Moses  from  Sinai. w 

9.  God  will  not  change  or  alter  His  law  forever.  He 
will  never  change  the  law  of  Moses  our  Rabbi  —  peace  be 
unto  him  !  The  law  will  suffer  no  addition  or  diminution 
(but  it  will  abide  even),  as  the  prophet  Malachi  sealed  it 
with  the  .seal  of  the  prophets  in  ending  his  words  (Mai. 
iv.  4),  (<  Remember  ye  the  law  of  Moses  My  servant, 
■which  I  commanded  unto  him  in  Horeb  for  all  Israel. >y 
Formerly  the  law  was  in  a  garment  of  light,  but  in  con¬ 
sequence  of  sin,  the  law  became  materialized  in  a  garment 
of  skin,  in  the  same  proportion  as  man  became  materialized 
in  a  body  of  flesh.  In  the  future,  after  the  redemption, 
however,  the  law  will  have  the  garment  of  light  restored, 
and  the  Messiah  will  preach  the  law  in  terrible  mysteries, 


278 


THE  KABBALA 


such  as  no  ear  has  ever  heard,  and  it  will  appear  to  us  as 
a  new  law.  But  the  law  will  not  be  altered,  or  made  new, 
as  the  nations  of  the  world  say  =  Jer.  xxxi.  30-33. 

10.  He  observeth  and  knoweth  all  our  secrets,  etc. 

11.  There  are  rewards  and  punishments  in  the  fu¬ 
ture,  etc. 

12.  He  will  send  at  the  end  of  days  our  Messiah  from 
the  seed  of  David  to  redeem  His  people  Israel  from  among 
the  nations,  and  restore  to  them  the  kingdom. 

13.  There  will  be  a  revival  of  the  dead,  etc. 

Kitzur  Sh'lh ,  fol.  7,  col.  2. 

Let  a  man  believe  that  whatever  occurs  to  him  is  from 
the  Blessed  One  !  For  instance,  when  a  wicked  man  meets 
him  and  abuses  him,  and  puts  him  to  shame,  let  him  re¬ 
ceive  it  with  love,  and  say,  <(  The  Ford  told  him  to  curse, 
and  he  is  the  messenger  of  God  on  account  of  my  sin.* 

Ibid.,  fol.  8,  col.  1. 

In  every  deed  or  transaction  a  man  performs  by  his  own 
free  will,  be  it  a  matter  of  precept  or  of  option,  let  the 
name  of  God  be  ready  in  his  mouth.  If,  for  instance,  he 
erects  a  building,  or  buys  a  vessel,  or  makes  a  new  gar¬ 
ment,  let  him  say  with  his  mouth  and  utter  with  his  lips, 
<(This  thing  I  do,  for  (the  honor  of)  the  union  of  the 
Shechinah  with  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!*  Ibid. 

Bismillahi  Arrahmani  Arraheemi,<(  In  the  name  of  God,  most  merci¬ 
ful  and  compassionate, »  is  the  motto  of  every  work  undertaken  by  a 
-Mohammedan. 

A  man  should  always  desire  that  his  neighbor  may 
profit  by  him,  and  let  him  not  strive  to  profit  by  his  neigh¬ 
bor.  Let  his  words  be  pleasant  with  the  children  of  men 
if  they  shame  him,  and  let  him  not  shame  them  in  return. 
If  they  deceive  him,  let  him  not  deceive  them  in  return, 
and  let  him  take  the  yoke  of  the  public  upon  his  shoul¬ 
ders,  and  not  impose  it  heavily  on  them  in  return.  Ibid. 

If  —  which  God  forbid  !  —  thy  neighbor  has  done  thee  an 
evil,  pardon  him  at  once  ;  for  thou  shouldst  love  him  as 
thyself.  If  one  hand  is  accidentally  hurt  by  the  other, 
should  the  wounded  hand  revenge  its  injury  on  the  other? 
And,  as  urged  before,  thou  shouldst  rather  say  in  thine 


THE  KABBALA 


279 


heart,  (<  It  is  from  the  Lord  that  it  came  to  thee ;  it  came 
as  a  messenger  from  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  !  —  as 
a  punishment  for  some  sin.”  Kitzur  Shilh ,  fol.  9.  col.  2. 

A  sage  who  was  very  sorrowful  was  once  comforted  thus  : 
<(  If  thy  sorrow  relates  to  this  world,  may  God  decrease 
it ;  but  if  it  relates  to  the  world  to  come,  may  God  in¬ 
crease  it  and  add  sorrow  to  sorrow.”  (See  2  Cor.  vii.  10.) 

Ibid. ,  fol.  10,  col.  1. 

A  man  should  not  wade  through  water  or  traverse  any 
dangerous  place  in  company  with  an  apostate,  or  even  a 
wicked  Jew,  lest  he  be  overtaken  (in  the  same  ruin)  with 
him.  (Comp.  Kph.  v.  7,  8  ;  Rev.  xviii.  4.) 

Ibid.,  fol.  10,  col.  2. 

The  influence  of  the  son  is  relatively  greater  and  more 
blessed  than  that  of  the  father,  for  the  merits  of  the  father 
do  not  profit  the  son  except  in  matters  relating  to  this 
world  (as  by  bequeathing  him  worldly  inheritance)  ;  whereas 
the  merits  of  the  son  do  more  than  benefit  the  father  in  this 
world;  they  benefit  him  also  in'  the  world  to  come  (by 
saying  <(  Kadish  ” ) ,  which  is  enough  to  deliver  his  soul 
from  purgatory.  Ibid.,  fol.  11,  col.  2. 

A  common  proverb  says,  (<  One  father  willingly  maintains 
ten  sons,  but  ten  sons  are  not  willing  to  support  one  father.” 

Ibid.,  fol.  12,  col.  2. 

The  proper  use  of  money  is  that  thou  learn  the  art  of 
dealing  honestly,  so  that  thy  No  be  no  and  thy  Yes,  yes  ; 
and  as  far  as  possible  be  benevolent  with  the  money.  <(  And 
the  liberal  by  liberal  things  shall  stand”  (Isa.  xxxii.  8). 

Ibid. 

The  sage  says,  (( The  eye  of  a  needle  is  not  narrow 
enough  for  two  friends,  but  the  world  in  not  wide  enough 
for  two  enemies.”  Ibid.,  fol.  14,  col.  1. 

(<  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right 
spirit  within  me”  (Ps.  li.  10).  Know  thou  that  the  heart  is 
the  source  of  life,  and  is  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  body 
as  the  Holy  of  holies,  as  stated  in  the  Book  Zohar,  is  the 
central  part  of  the  world.  Therefore  one  must  have  his 
heart  cleansed  from  evil  and  all  evil  thoughts,  otherwise  he 


28o 


THE  KABBALA 


introduces  an  idol  into  the  innermost  part  of  the  Temple, 
which  ought  to  be  a  dwelling-place  for  the  Shechinah. 
(See  i  Cor.  iii,  16,  17,  and  vi.  19.) 

Kitzur  Shi  Ih,  fol.  14,  col.  2. 

He  who  gazes  even  on  the  little  finger  of  a  woman 
is  as  if  he  looked  on  her  to  lust  after  her.  He  should  not 
give  ear  to  a  woman’s  voice,  for  the  voice  of  a  woman  is 
lewdness.  This  sin  is  much  discussed  in  the  Zohar ;  it 
causes  the  husband  to  come  to  poverty,  and  deprives  him 
and  her  sons  of  all  respect.  Ibid.,  fol.  17,  col.  1. 

The  sages  of  the  Kabbalah  were  not  singular  in  this  view.  The 
Talmud  Yerush,  Callah,  fol.  58,  col.  3,  says,  <(He  that  looks  upon 
a  woman’s  heel  is  guilty  of  an  act  of  lewdness. w 

Eating  meat  after  cheese  or  cheese  after  meat  is  a  very 
serious  sin  ;  and  it  is  stated  in  the  Zohar,  section  Mishpa- 
tim,  that  upon  him  who  is  without  scruple  in  this  regard, 
an  evil  spirit  will  rest  for  forty  days,  his  soul  will  be  frcm 
the  spirit  which  has  no  holiness.  Ibid.,  fol.  18,  coi.  2- 

The  sages  of  the  Kabbalah  have  written  that  it  becomes 
him  who  has  in  him  the  fear  of  Heaven  to  have  a  vessel 
of  water  near  his  bed,  in  order  that  (on  waking  in  the 
morning)  he  may  not  need  to  walk  four  ells  without  wash¬ 
ing  his  hands,  for  he  who  walks  four  ells  without  washing 
his  hands  has  forfeited  his  life  as  a  divine  punishment. 

Ibid.,  fol.  43,  col.  2. 

When  a  man  is  dressing,  he  should  first  put  on  the  right 
shoe  and  leave  it  unfastened  till  he  has  put  on  and  fastened 
the  left ;  then  he  should  fasten  the  right,  as  it  is  explained 
in  the  Shulchan  Aruch.  Ibid. ,  fol.  44,  col.  2. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  many  laws  relating  to  the 
Shemonah-esreh,  or  the  eighteen  blessings  which  form  the 
most  devotional  part  of  daily  worship,  and  which  are  re¬ 
peated  three  times  on  (ordinary)  week-days,  and  four 
times  on  Sabbaths,  new  moons,  and  on  appointed  feasts  :  — 

Before  commencing  the  Shemonah-esreh  one  should  step 
back  three  paces,  in  order  to  be  able  to  advance  three 
steps.  The  reason  of  this  is  that  Moses  our  Rabbi  —  peace 
be  on  him !  —  advanced  before  his  prayer  into  the  three 


THE  KABBALA 


281 


divisions,  <(  darkness,  clouds,  and  thick  darkness  0  (Deut.  iv. 
11).  And  this  is  also  the  reason  why  after  finishing  the 
Shemonah-esreh  three  steps  backward  are  to  be  made,  re¬ 
turning  through  these  three  parts  or  divisions. 

This  prayer  is  to  be  performed  standing,  and  the  feet  so 
joined  together  that  they  should  seem  as  it  were  one  foot 
only,  in  order  to  be  like  the  angels,  of  whom  it  is  written 
(Ezek.  i.  7),  <(  And  their  feet  were  (so  in  the  original)  a 
straight  foot,0  that  is  to  say,  their  feet  appeared  as  one 
foot. 

This  attitude  is  a  sign  that  the  power  of  locomotion  is 
gone ;  he  cannot  pursue  and  attain  any  other  object  than 
God.  The  Gentiles  place  their  hands  together,  intending  to 
signify  thereby  that  their  hands  are  as  it  were  bound  ;  but 
we,  by  placing  our  feet  together,  intend  to  signify  that 
they  are  as  it  were  entirely  bound,  which  is  indicative  of 
greater  humility  ;  for  with  the  hands  bound  one  could  still 
run  away  in  search  of  his  own  pleasure,  which  he  cannot 
do  when  the  feet  are  bound. 

Kitzur  Sh'lh ,  fol.  48,  col.  2,  and  fol.  49,  col.  1. 

It  is  lawful  for  him  who  rides  upon  an  animal  to  pray 
the  eighteen  benedictions,  and  when  he  comes  to  the  point 
when  he  should  retrace  three  steps,  he  is  to  back  the  ani¬ 
mal  he  is  mounted  on  three  steps.  And  so  also  it  is  law¬ 
ful  to  pray  the  eighteen  blessings  when  sitting  and  travel¬ 
ing  in  a  wagon.  Ibid.,  fol.  49,  col.  1. 

It  is  necessary  to  pay  attention  to  the  feet  when  the 
worshiper  repeats  <(  Holy !  holy  !  holy ! 0  and  he  is  to 
lift  up  his  eyes  toward  heaven.  At  the  instant  the  Kid- 
dushah  is  repeated  he  needs  only  lift  up  his  heels,  and 
thereby  his  body  from  the  earth  toward  heaven. 
According  to  Tanchuma  it  is  necessary  to  lift  up  the  feet 
from  the  earth  altogether,  after  the  example  of  the  angels, 
of  whom  it  is  written  (Isa.  vi.  2),  (( And  with  two  he  did 
fly.0  It  is  from  this  text  that  the  sages  have  ordained 
that  a  man  should  fly  up  (as  it  were)  when  he  repeats 
(<  Holy  !  holy  !  holy  I  0  And  let  the  chooser  choose,  i.  e.} 
it  is  optional  either  to  lift  up  the  heels  only  or  to  jump. 

Ibid. 


282 


THE  KABBALA 


Any  one  who  visits  a  synagogue  may  notice  the  observance  of  this 
practice.  In  the  synagogues  of  the  Chassidim,  jumping  is  preferred 
to  lifting  up  the  heels. 

It  is  written  (Ps.  cii.  17),  (<  He  will  regard  the  prayer 
of  the  destitute,”  and  it  is  not  written,  <c  He  will  hear.” 
What  else  can  the  term  <(  regard  ”  mean  than  that  there  is 
a  distinction  between  the  prayer  of  an  individual  and  the 
prayer  of  a  community?  For  when  a  community  prays, 
their  prayer  enters  before  the  Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He  ! 
—  and  He  is  not  particular  to  regard  and  criticise  their 
works  and  their  intentions  and  thoughts,  but  receives  their 
prayers  immediately.  But  when  an  individual  prays,  the 
Holy  One  —  blessed  be  He!  —  regards  and  scrutinizes  his 
heart,  whether  it  be  devout  and  whether  he  be  a  righteous 
man.  Therefore,  one  should  always  pray  with  the  com¬ 
munity,  and  this  is  why  the  text  (Ps.  cvii.  17)  ends  with 
the  words,  <(  And  not  despise  their  prayer.  ”  Although 
there  are  some  of  the  community  whose  prayers,  on  ac¬ 
count  of  their  evil  deeds,  deserve  to  be  despised,  He, 
nevertheless,  does  not  despise  their  prayer. 

Kitzur  Sh'lh,  fol.  51,  col.  1. 

A  man  should  study  less  on  Friday,  that  he  may  occupy 
himself  with  the  preparation  for  the  Sabbath.  And  ac¬ 
cordingly  we  find  in  the  Gemara  that  some  of  the  great 
and  esteemed  sages  occupied  themselves  on  that  day  in 
preparing  what  was  needed  for  the  Sabbath.  There¬ 
fore,  though  one  may  have  man}7  servants  to  wait  upon 
him,  it  is  a  great  merit  personally  to  prepare  for  the 
wants  of  the  Sabbath  in  order  thus  to  honor  it ;  and  let 
him  not  think  it  derogatory  to  his  own  honor  to  honor  the 
Sabbath  thus,  for  it  is  his  honor  to  honor  the  Sabbath. 
It  is  written  of  H’A’ree  of  blessed  memory,  that  he  was 
in  the  habit  of  sweeping  away  the  cobwebs  in  his  house 
(in  honor  of  the  Sabbath),  and  it  is  well  known  to  the 
initiated  what  a  wonderful  mystery  it  is  to  abolish  the  un¬ 
clean  spirits  from  the  house,  (<  And  this  is  enough  for  him 
that  understands.”  Ibid.,  fol.  61,  col.  1. 

One  should  trim  his  finger-nails  every  Friday,  never  on 
Thursday,  otherwise  the  nails  will  commence  growing  on 


THE  KABBALA 


283 


the  following  Sabbath.  He  should  pare  the  nails  of  the 
left  hand  first,  beginning  at  the  fourth  finger  and  ending 
with  the  thumb  ;  and  then  he  should  pare  the  nails  of  the 
right  hand,  beginning  with  the  thumb  and  ending  with 
the  fourth  finger ;  he  should  not  vary  the  following  order : 
4th,  2d,  5th,  3d,  1st  of  the  left  hand ;  then  the  1st,  3d, 
5th,  2d,  4th  of  the  right  hand.  Never  pare  two  (contigu¬ 
ous)  fingers  one  after  the  other,  for  it  is  dangerous,  and 
it  also  impairs  the  memory.  The  reason  and  mystery 
about  the  order  for  paring  the  nails  are  well  known  to 
the  expert.  Kitzur  Sk’lh. 

In  the  Zohar  it  is  explained  that  the  benefit  of  immer¬ 
sion  on  Friday  amounts  to  the  restoration  of  the  soul  to 
her  proper  place,  for  he  who  is  bodily  unclean  has  no  soul. 

Ibid.,  fol.  61,  col.  2. 

Before  entering  the  plunging-bath,  he  is  to  repeat  (Gen. 
i.  10),  <(And  God  called  the  dry  land  earth,  and  the  gath¬ 
ering  together  of  the  waters  called  He  seas.”  When  he 
stands  in  the  water  he  is  to  repeat  seven  times  (Ps.  li.  10), 
<(  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God,  and  renew  a  right 
spirit  within  me,®  for  the  initials  of  (<  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart, ”  form  the  word  <(  to  dip,”  i.  e.,  to  immerse.  For  it 
is  through  immersion  that  the  unclean  spirits  and  the 
<( other  side,”  are  separated  from  him,  and  he  becomes  a 
new  creature  by  examining  and  confessing  his  (evil)  deeds, 
and  forsaking  them,  and  by  engaging  himself  in  repentance, 
and  immersing  himself,  and  meditating  on  elevating  sub¬ 
jects,  and  especially  so  if  he  has  immersed  himself  fourteen 
times.  Ibid. ,  fol.  61,  col.  1. 

When  standing  in  the  water  he  is  to  stoop  four  times, 
so  that  the  water  may  reach  his  neck,  answering  to  the 
four  modes  of  legal  execution.  After  that  he  is  to  repeat 
the  form  of  confession,  and  while  the  water  reaches  up  to 
his  throat  he  is  to  repeat  these  three  texts  —  Micah  vii. 
18-20,  Jer.  x.  24,  and  Ps.  cxviii.  5,  and  then  say,  (<As  I 
cleanse  my  body  here  below,  which  is  formed  of  clay,  so 
may  the  ministering  angels  cleanse  my  soul,  spirit,  and 
ghost  above  in  the  river  Dinor  ;  and  as  I  sanctify  my  body 
here  below,  so  may  the  angels  of  the  Most  High,  the  min- 


284 


THE  KABBALA 


tering  angels,  sanctify  my  spirit,  soul,  and  ghost  in  the 
river  Dinor  above  !  In  the  name  of  Jehovah,  He  is  the 
God  and  in  the  name  of  Adonai,  the  Rock  of  all  Ages. 
Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  glory  of  His  kingdom  forever¬ 
more  ! }>  Kitzur  SWlli,  fol.  62,  col.  1. 

According  to  the  Kabbalah,  the  thoroughgoing  orthodox  Jew  has 
his  hands  full  on  Erev  Shabbath,  i.  e .,  Friday.  We  cannot  here  go 
over  the  entire  proceeding  prescribed,  but  we  will  briefly  touch  upon 
its  salient  features  in  the  order  as  we  find  them. 

After  having  prepared  himself  for  immersion,  as  above  described, 
he  is  to  turn  his  face  and  bow  first  toward  the  west  and  then  toward 
the  east,  repeating  a  certain  formula,  and  then  dip  himself  under  the 
water.  This  over,  he  is  to  turn  again  east  and  west  and  repeat  a  dif¬ 
ferent  formula,  and  while  meditating  on  certain  given  letters  of  cer¬ 
tain  mystical  divine  names  and  other  known  words,  and  their 
respective  numerical  values,  he  is  to  dip  a  second  time  under  the 
water.  Then  turning  and  bowing  again  west  and  east,  repeating  the 
while  a  different  formula,  he  proceeds  to  meditate  on  different  letters 
of  the  divine  names,  and  dips  for  the  third  and  last  time.  As  dipping 
fourteen  times  is  the  exception  and  not  the  rule,  no  farther  directions 
are  given  about  the  matter,  except  a  few  additional  formulae  and 
meditations. 

When  he  comes  out  of  the  water  he  is  to  step  backward  in  the 
same  respectful  manner  as  when  he  leaves  the  synagogue,  and  is  to 
repeat  Isa.  iv.  3,  4,  and  Rabbi  Akiva’s  commentary  on  the  text  Ezek. 
xxx vi.  25. 

When  he  begins  dressing  he  is  to  repeat  Isa.  liv.  17,  and  when  he 
subsequently  washes  his  face  and  hands  and  feet  in  warm  water,  to 
which  is  attached  a  great  mystery,  he  is  to  say,  <(  Behold,  here  I  am, 
washing  myself  in  honor  of  Sabbath  the  qtieen ; w  and  add  also  Isa. 
iv.  4,  and  also,  <(I  have  washed  my  feet;  how  shall  I  defile  them?** 
(Cant.  v.  3.) 

Happy  is  he  who  is  able  to  provide  himself  with  a  complete  suit 
of  apparel  down  to  the  girdle,  the  shoes,  and  the  hat  for  wearing  on 
the  Sabbath,  different  from  those  worn  on  week-days.  Then  he  is  to 
repeat  the  Book  of  Solomon’s  Song,  and  if  unable  to  repeat  the  whole, 
he  is,  at  all  events,  to  repeat  these  four  verses,  the  initials  of  the  first 
word  in  each  of  which  taken  together  form  the  word  Jacob,  Cant.  i. 
2,  ii.  10,  ii.  8,  v.  1.  After  this  he  is  to  repeat  certain  portions  of  the 
Mishnah,  and  something  of  the  Zohar  or  some  other  Kabbalistic  work. 

This  over,  the  devout  Israelite  goes  to  the  synagogue  to  meet  his 
God  as  the  bridegroom,  and  to  receive  the  Sabbath  as  the  bride.  The 
service  is  well  worthy  of  rehearsal,  but  we  must  refer  for  details  to 
the  Eiturgy. 

The  Israelite  returns  home  from  the  synagogue  accompanied  by 
two  angels,  one  good  and  the  other  evil ;  and  according  to  the  condi- 


THE  KABBALA 


285 


tion  of  the  domestic  arrangements  when  he  re-enters,  he  is  blessed  by 
the  good  angel  or  cursed  by  the  evil  one. 

The  Israelite  is  solemnly  warned  not  to  quarrel  with  his  wife  on 
Sabbath-eve,  for  the  devils  are  very  busy  then  to  stir  up  more  strife, 
as  is  illustrated  by  the  story  of  Rabbi  Meir. 

Having  repeated  the  usual  hymn  appointed  for  the  Sabbath-eve, 
and  pronounced  the  form  of  blessing  over  the  cup  of  wine,  he  and 
his  family  commence  their  supper,  which  is  carefully  prepared  of  the 
very  choicest  viands,  flesh  and  fish  included.  Hymns  and  a  certain 
form  of  blessing  after  the  meal  complete  the  family  duties  of  the 
day,  and  all  retire  to  rest.  The  head  of  the  family,  if  he  be  a  pious 
Israelite,  and  especially  a  disciple  of  the  wise,  has  a  particular  duty 
to  perform — a  duty  which  is  based  on  Scripture  and  on  the  following 
text  (Exod.  xxxi.  16),  (( Wherefore  the  children  of  Israel  shall  keep 
the  Sabbath. »  ( Kitzur  Sh'lh,  fol.  64,  col.  1.) 

Of  the  laws  relating  to  the  Sabbath  we  can  here  only 
enumerate  a  few ;  we  shall,  however,  take  them  in  order 
as  detailed  in  the  book  before  us. 

Jewish  women,  maid-servants  and  girls  are  warned  not  to 
order  a  Gentile  woman  on  the  Sabbath  to  do  this  or  that, 
but  they  may  instruct  her  on  a  work-day  what  she  is  to  do 
on  the  Sabbath. 

Geese,  fowl,  cats,  dogs,  etc.,  are  not  to  be  handled  on 
the  Sabbath.  Neither  are  pocket-handkerchiefs,  spectacles, 
etc.,  to  be  carried  on  the  Sabbath  in  an  unwalled  town  or 
village.  Radishes  are  not  to  be  salted  in  quantities,  but 
each  piece  is  to  be  dipped  separately  in  salt  and  eaten. 
After  dinner  the  Israelite  is  to  take  a  siesta,  for  each  letter 
forms  the  initial  of  a  word,  and  the  words  thus  formed 
are  (< Sleep  on  the  Sabbath  is  a  delight.”  (See  Isa.  lviii. 
13.)  Before  he  dozes  off  he  is  to  repeat  the  last  verse  of 
the  90th  and  the  whole  of  the  91st  Psalm.  The  salutation 
should  not  be,  as  on  working-days,  <(  Good  morning, ”  but 
<(Good  Sabbath;”  for  respecting  this  it  is  said  (Exod.  xx. 
8),  <(  Remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy.”  He  is 
not  to  rise  on  the  Sabbath  as  early  as  on  the  other  days 
of  the  week,  and  this  is  based  on  Scripture.  He  is  to  be 
very  careful  with  the  fur  garments  that  he  may  be  wear¬ 
ing,  lest  he  should  pluck  a  hair  therefrom,  and  for  the 
same  reason  he  is  not  to  scratch  his  head  or  touch  his 
beard  on  the  Sabbath.  He  is  not  to  wash  his  hands  with 
salt  or  soap  on  the  Sabbath,  nor  may  he  play  at  ball ;  he 


286 


THE  KABBALA 


is  not  to  knock  with  a  rapper  on  a  door,  or  ring  the  house- 
bell  ;  nor,  if  he  has  married  a  widow,  is  he  to  co-habit 
with  her  on  that  day.  Kitzur  Sh'lh,  fols.  65-67. 

At  the  close  of  the  Sabbath  he  is  to  pronounce  over  a 
cup  of  wine  what  is  technically  termed  the  <(  Separation,  ® 
for  the  departure  of  the  Sabbath,  as  given  in  the  prayer- 
book.  He  is  then  to  fold  up  his  Tallith  or  veil  and  sing 
<(  Hamavdil,®  the  first  verse  of  which  runs  thus:  — 

<(  May  He  who  maketh  a  distinction  between  the  holy 
(Sabbath)  and  the  profane  (days  of  the  week)  pardon  our 
sins  and  multiply  our  children  and  our  money  as  the  sand 
and  as  the  stars  in  the  night  ! }> 

Should  he  forget  to  fold  his  veil  (Tallith),  he  is  to 
shake  it  thoroughly  the  next  morning,  in  order  to  get  rid 
of  the  evil  spirits  that  have  harbored  there  during  the 
night,  and  the  reason  is  known  to  the  lords  of  the  Kab¬ 
balah.  Ibid. ,  fol.  71,  col.  1. 

It  is  customary  then  to  repeat  a  number  of  hymns  and 
songs  and  legends  wherein  Elijah  the  Prophet  is  mentioned, 
because  he  it  is  that  is  to  come  and  bring  the  tidings  of 
redemption,  for  it  is  thus  stated  in  Tosephta,  that  on  the 
exit  of  the  Sabbath  Elijah  of  blessed  memory  sits  under 
the  “Tree  of  Eife^  and  records  in  writing  the  merits  of 
those  that  keep  the  Sabbath.  Those  that  are  particular 
repeat,  and  the  very  pious  write,  <(  Elijah  the  Prophet, 
Elijah  the  Prophet,  Elijah  the  Prophet, ®  a  hundred  and 
thirty  times,  for  <(  Elijah  the  Prophet, by  Gematria  equals 
120,  to  which  add  10,  the  number  of  the  letters,  and  the 
total  is  1 30.  Ibid. 

The  word  Elijah  is  written  a  hundred  and  thirty  times 
in  tabular  form,  with  the  letters  transposed.  This  can  be 
understood  better  by  forming  a  Kabbalistic  table  of  the 
same  word  in  English. 

Elijah  Ehlija  Ejahli  Eijahl  Elhija 

Elahij  Eljahi  Elhaji  Eljiah  Ealijh 

Eahlij  Eajlili  Eaijhl  Ealhij  Ehalij 

Ehlaij  Ehijla  Ehjial  Ehialj  Ehjail 


and  so  on. 


THE  KABBALA 


287 


The  last  day  of  the  month  is  called,  (<The  little  Day  of 
Atonement, w  and  it  is  fit  and  proper  to  do  penance  on  that 
day.  On  the  first  day  of  the  month  it  is  a  pious  act  to 
prepare  an  extra  dish  for  dinner  in  honor  of  the  day.  God 
has  given  the  first  of  the  month  (as  a  festival)  more  for 
women  than  for  men,  because  the  three  annual  festivals 
are  according  to  the  three  patriarchs,  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  and  because  the  twelve  months  are  according  to  the 
twelve  tribes ;  and  as  the  tribes  sinned  in  the  matter  of 
the  golden  calf,  and  the  women  were  unwilling  to  give  up 
their  golden  earrings  for  that  idolatrous  purpose,  therefore 
they  deserved  that  God  should  give  them  as  their  reward 
the  first  days  of  the  twelve  months,  according  to  the  num¬ 
ber  of  the  tribes.  Kitzur  Sk'lh,  fol.  72,  col.  1. 

It  is  a  very  pious  act  to  bless  the  moon  at  the  close  of 
the  Sabbath,  when  one  is  dressed  in  his  best  attire  and 
perfumed.  If  the  blessing  is  to  be  performed  on  the  even¬ 
ing  of  an  ordinary  week-day  the  best  dress  is  to  be  worn. 
According  to  the  Kabbalists  the  blessings  upon  the  moon 
are  not  to  be  said  till  seven  full  days  after  her  birth,  but, 
according  to  later  authorities,  this  may  be  done  after  three 
days.  The  reason  for  not  performing  this  monthly  service 
under  a  roof,  but  in  the  open  air,  is  because  it  is  consid¬ 
ered  as  a  reception  of  the  presence  of  the  Shechinah,  and 
it  would  not  be  respectful  so  to  do  anywhere  but  in  the 
open  air.  It  depends  very  much  upon  circumstances 
when  and  where  the  new  moon  is  to  be  consecrated,  and 
also  upon  one’s  own  predisposition,  for  authorities  differ. 
We  will  close  these  remarks  with  the  conclusion  of  the 
Kitzur  Sh’lu  on  the  subject,  which,  at  p.  72,  col.  2,  runs 

4 

thus : — 

(<  When  about  to  sanctify  the  new  moon,  one  should 
straighten  his  feet  (as  at  the  Shemonah-esreh)  and  give  one 
glance  at  the  moon  before  he  begins  to  repeat  the  ritual 
blessing,  and  having  commenced  it  he  should  not  look  at 
her  at  all.  Thus  should  he  begin  —  ( In  the  united  name 
of  the  Holy  and  Blessed  One  and  His  Shechinah,  through 
that  Hidden  and  Concealed  One  !  and  in  the  name  of  all 
Israel  !  }  Then  he  is  to  proceed  with  the  (  Form  of  Prayer 


288 


THE  KABBALA 


for  the  New  Moon  ;  y  -word  for  word,  without  haste,  but 
with  solemn  deliberation,  and  when  he  repeats  — 

( Blessed  is  thy  Former,  blessed  is  thy  Maker,  blessed  is  thy  Pos¬ 
sessor,  blessed  is  thy  Creator? 

He  is  to  meditate  on  the  initials  of  the  four  divine  epithets 
which  form  ( Jacob, }  for  the  moon,  which  is  called  { the 
lesser  light, )  is  his  emblem  or  symbol,  and  he  is  also 
called  ( little  >  (see  Amos  vii.  2).  This  he  is  to  repeat  three 
times.  He  is  to  skip  three  times  while  repeating  thrice  the 
following  sentence,  and  after  repeating  three  times  forward 
and  backward:  thus  (forward) — (  Fear  and  dread  shall  fall 
upon  them  by  the  greatness  of  Thine  arm  ;  they  shall  be 
as  still  as  a  stoned  thus  (backward)  — < Still  as  a  stone 
may  they  be  ;  by  the  greatness  of  Thine  arm  may  fear  and 
dread  fall  on  them ;  }  he  then  is  to  say  to  his  neighbor 
three  times,  ( Peace  be  unto  you,*  and  the  neighbor  is  to 
respond  three  times,  ^Unto  you  be  peace. *  Then  he  is  to  say 
three  times  (very  loudly),  (  David,  the  king  of  Israel,  liveth 
and  existeth  ! *  and  finally,  he  is  to  say  three  times  — 


<May  a  good  omen  and  good  luck  be  upon  us  and  upon  all  Israel! 

Amen? }> 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


i 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


IT  was  said  of  Rabbi  Tarphon,  that  though  a  very 
wealthy  man,  he  was  not  charitable  according  to  his 
means.  One  time  Rabbi  Akiba  said  to  him,  Shall  I 
invest  some  money  for  thee  in  real  estate,  in  a  manner 
which  will  be  very  profitable  ? ”  Rabbi  Tarphon  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  and  brought  to  Rabbi  Akiba  four  thou¬ 
sand  denars  in  gold,  to  be  so  applied.  Rabbi  Akiba  im¬ 
mediately  distributed  the  same  among  the  poor.  Some  time 
after  this  Rabbi  Tarphon  met  Rabbi  Akiba,  and  asked  him 
where  the  real  estate  which  he  had  bought  for  him  was 
situated.  Akiba  led  his  friend  to  the  college,  and  showed 
him  a  little  boy,  who  recited  for  them  the  112th  psalm. 
When  he  reached  the  ninth  verse,  <l  He  distributeth,  he 
giveth  to  the  needy,  his  righteousness  endureth  forever :  ” 
“There,”  said  Akiba,  <(  thy  property  is  with  David,  the 
king  of  Israel,  who  said,  (he  distributeth,  he  giveth  to  the 
needy. y ” 

“And  wherefore  hast  thou  done  this?”  asked  Tarphon. 
<(  Knowest  thou  not,”  answered  Rabbi  Akiba,  “how  Nak- 
dimon,  the  son  of  Guryon,  was  punished  because  he  gave 
not  according  to  his  means?  ” 

“  Well,”  returned  the  other,  (<  why  didst  thou  not  tell  me 
this  ;  could  I  not  have  distributed  my  means  without  thy 
aid  ?  ” 

“Nay,”  said  Akiba,  (<it  is  a  greater  virtue  to  cause  an¬ 
other  to  give  than  to  give  one's  self.” 

Rabbi  Jochanan,  the  son  of  Takkai,  was  once  riding  out¬ 
side  of  Jerusalem,  and  his  pupils  had  followed  him.  They 
saw  a  poor  woman  collecting  the  grain  which  dropped  from 
the  mouths  and  troughs  of  some  feeding  cattle,  belonging 
to  Arabs.  When  she  saw  the  Rabbi,  she  addressed  him  in 
these  brief  words,  “  O  Rabbi,  assist  me.  ”  He  replied, 
“  My  daughter,  whose  daughter  art  thou  ?  ” 


(291) 


292 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


<(  I  am  the  daughter  of  Nakdimon,  the  son  of  Guryon,” 
she  answered. 

<(  Why,  what  has  become  of  thy  father’s  money  ?  ”  asked 
the  Rabbi ;  <(  the  amount  which  thou  didst  receive  as  a 
dowry  on  thy  wedding  day  ?  ” 

“Ah,®  she  replied,  <(  is  there  not  a  saying  in  Jerusalem, 
( The  salt  was  wanting  to  the  money  ?  y  ” 

<(And  thy  husbands  money, ”  continued  the  Rabbi; 
<(  what  of  that  ?  ” 

<(  That  followed  the  other, ”  she  answered  ;  <(  I  have  lost 
them  both.” 

The  Rabbi  turned  to  his  scholars  and  said  : — 

<(  I  remember,  when  I  signed  her  marriage  contract,  her 
father  gave  her  as  a  dowry  one  million  golden  denars,  and 
her  husband  was  wealthy  in  addition  thereto.  ” 

The  Rabbi  sympathized  with  the  woman,  helped  her,  and 
wept  for  her. 

(<  Happy  are  ye,  oh  sons  of  Israel, ”  he  said ;  <(  as  long 
as  ye  perform  the  will  of  God  naught  can  conquer  ye ;  but 
if  ye  fail  to  fulfill  His  wishes,  even  the  cattle  are  superior 
to  ye.” 

Nachum,  whatever  occurred  to  him,  was  in  the  habit  of 
saying,  (<  This  too  is  for  the  best.  ”  In  his  old  age  he  be¬ 
came  blind  ;  both  of  his  hands  and  both  of  his  legs  were 
amputated,  and  the  trunk  of  his  body  was  covered  with  a 
sore  inflammation.  His  scholars  said  to  him,  <(  If  thou  art 
a  righteous  man,  why  art  thou  so  sorely  afflicted  ?  ” 

(<  All  this,”  he  answered,  <(I  brought  upon  myself.  Once 
I  was  traveling  to  the  house  of  my  father-in-law,  and  I 
had  with  me  thirty  asses  laden  with  provisions  and  all 
manner  of  precious  articles.  A  man  by  the  wayside  called 
to  me,  (0  Rabbi,  assist  me^  I  told  him  to  wait  until  I 
unloaded  my  asses.  When  that  time  arrived  and  I  had  re¬ 
moved  their  burdens  from  my  beasts,  I  found  to  my  sorrow 
that  the  poor  man  had  fallen  and  expired.  I  threw  myself 
upon  his  body  and  wept  bitterly.  ( Tet  these  eyes,  which 
had  no  pity  on  thee,  be  blind, >  I  said;  ( these  hands  that 
delayed  to  assist  thee,  let  them  be  cut  off,  and  also  these 
feet,  which  did  not  run  to  aid  thee.*  And  yet  I  was  not  sat¬ 
isfied  until  I  prayed  that  my  whole  body  might  be  stricken 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


293 


with  a  sore  inflammation.  Rabbi  Akiba  said  to  me,  ( Woe 
to  me  that  I  find  thee  in  this  state !  But  I  replied, 
( Happy  to  thee  that  thou  meetest  me  in  this  state,  for 
through  this  I  hope  that  my  iniquity  may  be  forgiven, 
and  all  my  righteous  deeds  still  remain  recorded  to  gain 
me  a  reward  of  life  eternal  in  the  future  worlds  ” 


Rabbi  Janay  upon  seeing  a  man  bestowing  alms  in  a 
public  place,  said,  (( Thou  hadst  better  not  have  given  at 
all,  than  to  have  bestowed  alms  so  openly  and  put  the  poor 
man  to  shame. 

<(  One  should  rather  be  thrown  into  a  fiery  furnace  than 
be  the  means  of  bringing  another  to  public  shame. ” 

Rabbi  Juda  said,  ®  No  one  should  sit  down  to  his  own 
meals,  until  seeing  that  all  the  animals  dependent  upon  his 
care  are  provided  for.” 

Rabbi  Jochanan  said  that  it  is  as  pleasing  in  God’s  sight 
if  we  are  kind  and  hospitable  to  strangers,  as  if  we  rise  up 
early  to  study  His  law  ;  because  the  former  is  in  fact  put¬ 
ting  His  law  into  practice.  He  also  said,  <(  He  who  is  act¬ 
ive  in  kindness  toward  his  fellows  is  forgiven  his  sins.” 

Both  this  Rabbi  and  Abba  say  it  is  better  to  lend  to  the 
poor  than  to  give  to  them,  for  it  prevents  them  from  feel¬ 
ing  ashamed  of  their  poverty,  and  is  really  a  more  charit¬ 
able  manner  of  aiding  them.  The  Rabbis  have  always 
taught  that  kindness  is  more  than  the  mere  almsgiving  of 
charity,  for  it  includes  pleasant  words  with  the  more  sub¬ 
stantial  help. 

Rabbi  Hunnah  said,  (<  He  who  is  proud  in  heart  is  as 
sinful  as  the  idolater.” 

Rabbi  Abira  said,  <(  He  who  is  proud  shall  be  humbled.” 

Heskaiah  said,  <(  The  prayers  of  a  proud-hearted  man  are 
never  heard.” 

Rabbi  Ashi  said,  <(  He  who  hardens  his  heart  with  pride, 
softens  his  brains  with  the  same.” 

Rabbi  Joshua  said  (<  Meekness  is  better  than  sacrifice  ”  ; 
for  is  it  not  written,  (<  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
heart  —  a  broken  contrite  spirit,  Thou,  oh  Lord,  will  not 
despise  ?  ” 


294 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


The  son  of  Rabbi  Hunnah  said,  <(  He  who  possesses  a 
knowledge  of  God’s  law,  without  the  fear  of  Him,  is  as 
one  who  has  been  intrusted  with  the  inner  keys  of  a  treas¬ 
ury,  but  from  whom  the  outer  ones  are  withheld.  * 

Rabbi  Alexander  said,  (<  He  who  possesses  worldly  wis¬ 
dom  and  fears  not  the  Lord,  is  as  one  who  designs  building 
a  house  and  completes  only  the  door,  for  as  David  wrote 
in  Psalm  mth,  (The  beginning  of  wisdom  is  the  fear  of 
the  Lord. )  * 

When  Rabbi  Jochanan  was  ill,  his  pupils  visited  him 
and  asked  him  for  a  blessing.  With  his  dying  voice  the 
Rabbi  said,  <(I  pray  that  you  may  fear  God  as  you  fear 
man.®  <(  What  !  *  exclaimed  his  pupils,  should  we  not 
fear  God  more  than  man  ?  ® 

<(I  should  be  well  content, w  answered  the  sage,  <(  if  your 
actions  proved  that  you  feared  Him  as  much.  When  you 
do  wrong  you  first  make  sure  that  no  human  eyes  see 
you ;  show  the  same  fear  of  God,  who  sees  everywhere, 
and  everything,  at  all  times.  ^ 

Abba  says  we  can  show  our  fear  of  God  in  our  inter¬ 
course  with  one  another.  (<  Speak  pleasantly  and  kindly  to 
everyone  w  ;  he  says,  (<  trying  to  pacify  anger,  seeking  peace, 
and  pursuing  it  with  your  brethren  and  with  all  the  world, 
and  by  this  means  you  will  gain  that  ( favor  and  good 
understanding  in  the  sight  of  God  and  man/  which  Solo¬ 
mon  so  highly  prized. w 

Rabbi  Jochanan  had  heard  Rabbi  Simon,  son  of  Jochay, 
illustrate  by  a  parable  that  passage  of  Isaiah  which  reads 
as  follows  :  <(  I,  the  Lord,  love  uprightness  ;  but  hate  rob¬ 
bery  (converted)  into  burnt-offering. ® 

A  king  having  imported  certain  goods  upon  which  he 
laid  a  duty,  bade  his  officers,  as  they  passed  the  custom¬ 
house,  to  stop  and  pay  the  usual  tariff. 

Greatly  astonished,  his  attendants  addressed  him  thus  : 
(<  Sire  !  all  that  is  collected  belongs  to  your  majesty  ;  why 
then  give  what  must  be  eventually  paid  into  thy  treas^ 
ury  ? )J 

<(  Because, w  answered  the  monarch,  <(  I  wish  travelers  to 
learn  from  the  action  I  now  order  you  to  perform,  how 
abhorrent  dishonesty  is  in  my  eyes. ® 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


295 


Rabbi  Eleazer  said  :  (<  He  who  is  guided  by  righteousness 
and  justice  in  all  his  doings,  may  justly  be  asserted  to  have 
copied  God  in  His  unbounded  beneficence.  For  of  Him 
(blessed  be  His  name)  we  read,  ( He  loveth  righteousness 
and  justice J  ;  that  is,  (  The  earth  is  filled  with  the  loving 
kindness  of  God. } Might  we  think  that  to  follow  such  a 
course  is  an  eas}T  task  ?  No  !  The  virtue  of  beneficence 
can  be  gained  only  by  great  efforts.  Will  it  be  difficult, 
however,  for  him  that  has  the  fear  of  God  constantly  be¬ 
fore  his  eyes  to  acquire  this  attribute  ?  No  ;  he  will  easily 
attain  it,  whose  every  act  is  done  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord. 

<(  A  crown  of  grace  is  the  hoary  head  ;  on  the  way  of 
righteousness  can  it  be  found.  ® 

So  taught  Solomon  in  his  Proverbs.  Hence  various 
Rabbis,  who  had  attained  an  advanced  age,  were  questioned 
by  their  pupils  as  to  the  probable  cause  that  had  secured 
them  that  mark  of  divine  favor.  Rabbi  Nechumah  answered 
that,  in  regard  to  himself,  God  had  taken  cognizance  of 
three  principles  by  which  he  had  endeavored  to  guide  his 
conduct. 

First,  he  had  never  striven  to  exalt  his  own  standing  by 
lowering  that  of  his  neighbor.  This  was  agreeable  to  the 
example  set  by  Rabbi  Hunna,  for  the  latter,  while  bearing 
on  his  shoulders  a  heavy  spade,  was  met  by  Rabbi  Choana 
Ben  Chanilai,  who,  considering  the  burden  derogatory  to 
the  dignity  of  so  great  a  man,  insisted  upon  relieving  him 
of  the  implement  and  carrying  it  himself.  But  Rabbi  Hunna 
refused,  saying,  (<  Were  this  your  habitual  calling  I  might 
permit  it,  but  I  certainly  shall  not  permit  another  to  per¬ 
form  an  office  which,  if  done  by  myself,  may  be  looked 
upon  by  some  as  menial. M 

Secondly,  he  had  never  gone  to  his  night’s  rest  with  a 
heart  harboring  ill-will  against  his  fellow-man,  conformably 
with  the  practice  of  Mar  Zutra,  who,  before  sleeping, 
offered  this  prayer  :  <(  O  Lord  !  forgive  all  those  who  have 
done  me  injury.  ® 

Thirdly,  he  was  not  penurious,  following  the  example  of 
the  righteous  Job,  of  whom  the  sages  relate  that  he  declined 
to  receive  the  change  due  him  after  making  a  purchase. 


296 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


Another  Rabbi  bearing  also  the  name  of  Nechumah,  re¬ 
plied  to  Rabbi  Akiba,  that  he  believed  himself  to  have  been 
blessed  with  long  life  because,  in  his  official  capacity,  he  had 
invariably  set  his  face  against  accepting  presents,  mindful 
of  what  Solomon  wrote,  u  He  that  hateth  gifts  will  live.” 
Another  of  his  merits  he  conceived  to  be  that  of  never  re¬ 
senting  an  offense  ;  mindful  of  the  words  of  Rabba,  <(  He 
who  is  indulgent  toward  others’  faults,  will  be  mercifully 
dealt  with  by  the  Supreme  Judge.” 

Rabbi  Zera  said  that  the  merit  of  having  reached  an  ex¬ 
treme  age  was  in  his  case  due,  under  Providence,  to  his 
conduct  through  life.  He  governed  his  household  with 
mildness  and  forbearance.  He  refrained  from  advancing 
an  opinion  before  his  superiors  in  wisdom.  He  avoided  re¬ 
hearsing  the  word  of  God  in  places  not  entirely  free  from 
uncleanliness.  He  wore  the  phylacteries  all  day,  that  he 
might  be  reminded  of  his  religious  duties.  He  did  not  make 
the  college  where  sacred  knowledge  is  taught,  a  place  of 
convenience,  as,  for  instance,  to  sleep  there,  either  occasion¬ 
ally  or  habitually.  He  never  rejoiced  over  the  downfall  of 
a  fellow-mortal,  nor  would  he  designate  another  by  a  name 
objectionable  to  the  party  personally,  or  to  the  family  of 
which  he  was  a  member. 


<(  Three  friends,”  said  the  Rabbis,  (<  has  man.  God,  his 
father,  and  his  mother.  He  who  honors  his  parents  hon¬ 
ors  God.” 

Rabbi  Judah  said,  (<  Known  and  revealed  are  the  ways  of 
man.  A  mother  coaxes  a  child  with  kind  words  and  gentle 
ways,  gaining  honor  and  affection  ;  therefore,  the  Bible  says, 
(  Honor  thy  father, y  before  (  honor  thy  mother. >  But  in 
regard  to  fearing,  as  the  father  is  the  preceptor  of  the  child, 
teaching  it  the  law,  the  Bible  says,  *  Every  man  shall  fear 
his  mother,  >  before  the  word  <  father. >” 

Rabbi  Ulah  was  once  asked,  <(  How  extended  should  be 
this  honor  due  to  parents  ?  ” 

He  replied  :  — 

<(  Listen,  and  I  will  tell  ye  how  thoroughly  it  was  ob¬ 
served  by  a  heathen,  Damah,  the  son  of  Nethina.  He  was 
a  diamond  merchant,  and  the  sages  desired  to  purchase  from 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


297 


him  a  jewel  for  the  ephod  of  the  high  priest.  When  they 
reached  his  house,  they  found  that  the  key  of  the  safe  in 
which  the  diamond  was  kept  was  in  the  possession  of 
Damah’s  father,  who  was  sleeping.  The  son  absolutely  re¬ 
fused  to  wake  his  father,  to  obtain  the  key,  even  when  the 
sages  in  their  impatience  offered  him  a  much  larger  sum 
for  the  jewel  than  he  had  demanded.  And  further,  when 
his  father  awoke,  and  he  delivered  the  diamond  to  the  pur¬ 
chasers,  and  they  offered  him  the  larger  sum  which  they 
had  named,  he  took  from  it  his  first  price,  returning  the 
balance  to  them,  with  the  words,  *  I  will  not  profit  by  the 
honor  of  my  father.  *  ® 


Man  cannot  always  judge  of  man,  and  in  the  respect  paid 
to  parents  by  their  children,  earthly  eyes  cannot  always  see 
the  truth.  For  instance,  a  child  may  feed  his  parents  on 
dainties,  and  yet  deserve  the  punishment  of  a  disrespectful 
son  ;  while  another  may  send  his  father  to  labor,  and  yet 
deserve  reward.  How  may  this  be  ? 

A  certain  man  placed  dainty  food  before  his  father,  and 
bade  him  eat  thereof.  When  the  father  had  finished  his 
meal,  he  said  :  — 

<(  My  son,  thou  hast  prepared  for  me  a  most  delicious 
meal.  Wherefrom  didst  thou  obtain  these  delicacies  ? 

And  the  son  replied,  insultingly:  — 

<(  Eat  as  the  dogs  do,  old  man,  without  asking  questions.  * 

That  son  inherited  the  punishment  of  disrespect. 

A  certain  man,  a  miller,  had  a  father  living  with  him, 
at  the  time  when  all  people  not  working  for  themselves 
were  obliged  to  labor  a  certain  number  of  days  for  the  gov¬ 
ernment.  When  it  came  near  the  time  when  this  service 
would  be  required  of  the  old  man,  his  son  said  to  him,  Go 
thou  and  labor  for  me  in  the  mill,  and  I  will  go  and  work 
for  the  government.  ® 

He  said  this  because  they  who  labored  for  the  govern¬ 
ment  were  beaten  if  their  work  proved  unsatisfactory,  and 
he  thought  (<  it  is  better  for  me  to  run  the  chance  of 
being  beaten  than  to  allow  my  father  to  risk  it.®  There¬ 
fore,  he  deserved  the  reward  of  the  son  who  honors  his 
father. }> 


298 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


Rabbi  Chiyah  asserted  that  God  preferred  honor  shown 
to  parents,  to  that  displayed  toward  Himself.  (( It  is  writ¬ 
ten,  ”  said  he,  <(  ( Honor  the  Lord  from  thy  wealth.* 
How?  Through  charity,  good  deeds,  putting  the  mezuzah 
upon  thy  doorposts,  making  a  tabernacle  for  thyself  during 
Succoth,  etc.;  all  this  if  thou  art  able.  If  thou  art  poor 
the  omission  is  not  counted  a  sin  or  a  neglect.  But  it  is 
written,  (  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,*  and  the  duty 
is  demanded  alike  of  rich  and  poor ;  aye,  even  shouldst  thou 
be  obliged  to  beg  for  them  from  door  to  door.” 

Rabbi  Abahu  said,  (<  Abini,  my  son,  hath  obeyed  this  pre¬ 
cept  even  as  it  should  be  observed.” 

Abini  had  five  children,  but  he  would  not  allow  any  of 
them  to  open  the  door  for  their  grandfather,  or  attend 
to  his  wants  when  he  himself  was  at  home.  Even  as  he 
desired  them  in  their  lives  to  honor  him,  so  he  paid  respect 
to  his  father.  Upon  one  occasion  his  father  asked  him  for 
a  glass  of  water.  While  he  was  procuring  it  the  old  man  fell 
asleep,  and  Abini,  re-entering  the  room,  stood  by  his  father’s 
side  with  the  glass  in  his  hand  until  the  latter  awoke. 

<(What  is  fear?”  and  (<  What  is  honor?”  ask  the  Rabbis. 

Fear  thy  mother,  and  thy  father  by  sitting  not  in  their 
seats  and  standing  not  in  their  places  ;  by  paying  strict  at¬ 
tention  to  their  words  and  interrupting  not  their  speech. 
Be  doubly  careful  not  to  criticise  or  judge  their  arguments 
or  controversies. 

Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  by  attending  to  their 
wants ;  giving  them  to  eat  and  to  drink  ;  put  their  raiment 
upon  them,  and  tie  their  shoes  if  they  are  not  able  to  per¬ 
form  these  services  for  themselves. 

Rabbi  Eleazer  was  asked  how  far  honor  toward  parents 
should  be  extended,  and  he  replied  :  <(  Cast  all  thy  wealth 
into  the  sea  ;  but  trouble  not  thy  father  and  thy  mother.  ” 

Simon,  the  son  of  Jochai,  said:  <(  As  the  reward  to  those 
who  honor  their  parents  is  great,  so  is  the  punishment 
equally  great  for  those  who  neglect  the  precept.” 

Rabbi  Jochanan  said,  (c  It  is  best  to  study  by  night,  when 
all  is  quiet  ;  as  it  is  written,  ( Shout  forth  praises  in  the 
nights  ” 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


299 


Reshbi  Lakish  said,  ((  Study  by  day  and  by  night  ;  as  it 
is  written,  (Thou  shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  nights  ® 
Rabbi  Chonan,  of  Zepora  said,  (<  The  study  of  the  law 
may  be  compared  to  a  huge  heap  of  dust  that  is  to  be 
cleared  away.  The  foolish  man  says,  c  It  is  impossible  that 
I  should  be  able  to  remove  this  immense  heap,  I  will  not 
attempt  it ;  }  but  the  wise  man  says,  ( I  will  remove  a  little 
to-day,  some  more  to-morrow,  and  more  the  day  after,  and 
thus  in  time  I  shall  have  removed  it  allP 

<(  It  is  the  same  with  studying  the  law.  The  indolent 
pupil  says,  ( It  is  impossible  for  me  to  study  the  Bible. 
Just  think  of  it,  fifty  chapters  in  Genesis ;  sixty-six  in 
Isaiah,  one  hundred  and  fifty  Psalms,  etc.  I  cannot  do 
it ;  y  but  the  industrious  student  says,  ( I  will  study  six 
chapters  every  day,  and  so  in  time  I  shall  acquire  the 
whole. *  ® 

In  Proverbs  24 :  7,  we  find  this  sentence  :  (<  Wisdom  is 
too  high  for  a  fool.® 

(<  Rabbi  Jochanan  illustrates  this  verse  with  an  apple  de¬ 
pending  from  the  ceiling.  The  foolish  man  says,  ( I  cannot 
reach  the  fruit,  it  is  too  high  ;  }  but  the  wise  man  says,  ( It 
may  be  readily  obtained  by  placing  one  step  upon  another 
until  thy  arm  is  brought  within  reach  of  itP  The  foolish 
man  says,  (  Only  a  wise  man  can  study  the  entire  law, >  but 
the  wise  man  replies,  (  It  is  not  incumbent  upon  thee  to 
acquire  the  whole. } ® 

Rabbi  Tevi  illustrates  this  by  a  parable. 

A  man  once  hired  two  servants  to  fill  a  basket  with  water. 
One  of  them  said,  (<  Why  should  I  continue  this  useless 
labor  ?  I  put  the  water  in  one  side  and  it  immediately 
leaks  out  of  the  other  ;  what  profit  is  it  ?  ® 

The  other  workman,  who  was  wise,  replied,  (<  We  have  the 
profit  of  the  reward  which  we  receive  for  our  labor.® 

It  is  the  same  in  studying  the  law.  One  man  says, 
<(  What  does  it  profit  me  to  study  the  law  when  I  must  ever 
continue  it  or  else  forget  what  I  have  learned.®  But  the 
other  man  replies,  <(  God  will  reward  us  for  the  will  which 
we  display  even  though  we  do  forget.® 

Rabbi  Ze-irah  has  said  that  even  a  single  letter  in  the  law 
which  we  might  deem  of  no  importance,  if  wanting,  would 


300 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


neutralize  the  whole  law.  In  Deuteronomy  22  :  17,  we 
read,  <(  Neither  shall  he  take  to  himself  many  wives,  that  his 
heart  may  turn  away."  Solomon  transgressed  this  precept, 
and  it  is  said  by  Rabbi  Simon  that  the  angels  took  note  of 
his  ill-doing  and  addressed  the  Deity  :  <(  Sovereign  of  the 
world,  Solomon  has  made  Thy  law  even  as  a  law  liable  to 
change  and  diminution.  Three  precepts  he  has  disregarded, 
namely,  ( He  shall  not  acquire  for  himself  many  horses*; 
(  neither  shall  he  take  to  himself  many  wives  *  ;  ( nor  shall 
he  acquire  to  himself  too  much  silver  and  gold.*  **  Then  the 
Dord  replied,  <(  Solomon  will  perish  from  the  earth ;  aye, 
and  a  hundred  Solomons  after  him,  and  yet  the  smallest 
letter  of  the  law  shall  not  be  dispensed  with.” 


The  Rabbis  have  often  applied  in  a  figurative  sense,  vari¬ 
ous  passages  of  Holy  Writ,  among  others  the  opening 
verse  of  the  55th  chapter  of  Isaiah.  <(  Ho,  every  one  of 
ye  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  water,  and  he,  too,  that 
hath  110  money ;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy 
without  money  and  without  price,  wine  and  milk.” 

The  three  liquids  which  men  are  thus  urged  to  procure 
are  considered  by  the  sages  of  Israel  as  typical  of  the 
law. 

One  Rabbi  asked,  <(  Why  is  the  word  of  God  compared 
to  water  ?  ” 

To  this  question  the  following  answer  was  returned  :  <(  As 
water  runs  down  from  an  eminence  (the  mountains),  and 
rests  in  a  low  place  (the  sea),  so  the  law,  emanating  from 
Heaven,  can  remain  in  the  possession  of  those  only  who 
are  humble  in  spirit.” 

Another  Rabbi  inquired,  <(  Wherefore  has  the  Word  of 
God  been  likened  to  wine  and  milk  ?  ”  The  reply  made 
was,  <(  As  these  fluids  cannot  be  preserved  in  golden  vessels, 
but  only  in  those  of  earthenware,  so  those  minds  will  be 
the  best  receptacles  of  learning  which  are  found  in  homely 
bodies.  ” 

Rabbi  Joshua  ben  Chaninah,  who  was  very  homely  in 
appearance,  possessed  great  wisdom  and  erudition  ;  and  one 
of  his  favorite  sayings  w7as,  that  (( though  many  have  ex¬ 
hibited  a  vast  amount  of  knowledge,  notwithstanding  their 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


301 


personal  attractions,  yet  had  they  been  less  handsome, 
their  acquirements  might  have  been  more  extensive. w 

The  precepts  are  compared  to  a  lamp  ;  the  law  of  God 
to  a  light.  The  lamp  gives  light  only  so  long  as  it  con¬ 
tains  oil.  So  he  who  observes  the  precepts  receives  his  re¬ 
ward  while  performing  them.  The  law,  however,  is  a 
light  perpetual ;  it  is  a  protection  forever  to  the  one  who 
studies  it,  as  it  is  written  :  — 

<(  When  thou  walkest,  it  (the  law)  will  guide  thee;  when 
thou  best  down,  it  will  wratch  over  thee  ;  and  when  thou 
awakenest,  it  will  converse  with  thee.** 

When  thou  walkest  it  will  guide  thee  —  in  this  world  ; 
when  thou  best  down,  it  will  watch  over  thee  —  in  the 
grave  ;  when  thou  awakenest,  it  will  converse  with  thee  — 
in  the  life  to  come. 

A  traveler  upon  his  journey  passed  through  the  forest 
upon  a  dark  and  gloomy  night.  He  journeyed  in  dread ; 
he  feared  the  robbers  who  infested  the  route  he  was  tra¬ 
versing  ;  he  feared  that  he  might  slip  and  fall  into  some 
unseen  ditch  or  pitfall  on  the  way,  and  he  feared,  too,  the 
wild  beasts,  which  he  knew  were  about  him.  By  chance 
he  discovered  a  pine  torch,  and  lighted  it,  and  its  gleams 
afforded  him  great  relief.  He  no  longer  feared  brambles  or 
pitfalls,  for  he  could  see  his  way  before  him.  But  the 
dread  of  robbers  and  wild  beasts  was  still  upon  him,  nor 
left  him  till  the  morning’s  dawn,  the  coming  of  the  sun. 
Still  he  was  uncertain  of  his  way,  until  he  emerged  from 
the  forest,  and  reached  the  cross-roads,  when  peace  returned 
unto  his  heart. 

The  darkness  in  which  the  man  walked  was  the  lack  of 
religious  knowledge.  The  torch  he  discovered  typifies 
God’s  precepts,  which  aided  him  on  the  way  until  he 
obtained  the  blessed  sunlight,  compared  to  God’s  holy 
word,  the  Bible.  Still,  while  man  is  in  the  forest  (the 
world),  he  is  not  entirely  at  peace;  his  heart  is  weak,  and 
he  may  lose  the  right  path ;  but  when  he  reaches  the 
cross-roads  (death),  then  may  we  proclaim  him  truly 
righteous,  and  exclaim  :  — 

(<  A  good  name  is  more  fragrant  than  rich  perfume,  and 
the  day  of  death  is  better  than  the  day  of  one’s  birth. 9 


302 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


Rabbi  Jochanan,  the  son  of  Broka,  and  Rabbi  Eleazer, 
the  son  of  Chismah,  visited  their  teacher,  Rabbi  Josah,  and 
he  said  to  them  :  — - 

<(  What  is  the  news  at  the  college  ;  what  is  going  on  ?  ® 

“Nay,®  they  answered,  <(we  are  thy  scholars;  it  is  for 
thee  to  speak,  for  us  to  listen.  ® 

(<  Nevertheless,  ®  replied  Rabbi  Josah,  <(  no  day  passes 
without  some  occurrence  of  note  at  the  college.  Who  lec¬ 
tured  to-day  ? }) 

<(  Rabbi  Eleazer,  the  son  of  Azaryah.}> 

<(  And  what  was  his  subject  ?  ® 

<(  He  chose  this  verse  from  Deuteronomy, replied  the 
scholar  :  — 

(<  ( Assemble  the  people  together,  the  men,  the  women, 
and  the  children  ; y  and  thus  he  expounded  it :  — 

(<  ( The  men  came  to  learn,  the  women  to  listen ;  but 
wherefore  the  children?  In  order  that  those  who  brought 
them  might  receive  a  reward  for  training  their  children  in 
the  fear  of  the  Lord.* 

<(  He  also  expounded  the  verse  from  Ecclesiastes  :  — 

(<  (  The  words  of  the  wise  are  like  goads,  and  like  nails 
fastened  (are  the  words  of)  the  men  of  the  assemblies, 
which  are  given  by  one  shepherd.* 

<(  ( WhyT  is  the  law  of  God  compared  to  a  goad  ? )  he 
said.  ( Because  the  goad  causes  the  ox  to  draw  the  furrow 
straight,  and  the  straight  furrow  brings  forth  a  plenty  of 
good  food  for  the  life  of  man.  So  does  the  law  of  God 
keep  man’s  heart  straight,  that  it  may  produce  good  food 
to  provide  for  the  life  eternal.  But  lest  thou  shouldst  say, 
“The  goad  is  movable,  so  therefore  must  the  law  be,® 
it  is  also  written,  “as  nails,  **  and  likewise,  as  <(  nails 
fastened, **  lest  thou  shouldst  argue  that  nails  pounded 
into  wood  diminish  from  sight  with  each  stroke,  and  that 
therefore  by  this  comparison  God’s  law  would  be  liable 
to  diminution  also.  No  ;  as  a  nail  fastened  or  planted,  as 
a  tree  is  planted  to  bring  forth  fruit  and  multiply. 

(<  ( The  men  of  assemblies  are  those  who  gather  in 
numbers  to  study  the  law.  Frequently  controversies  arise 
among  them,  and  thou  mightest  say,  “With  so  many 
differing  opinions  how  can  I  settle  to  a  study  of  the 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


3°3 


law  ? ”  Thy  answer  is  written  in  the  words  which  are 
given  by  one  shepherd.  From  one  God  have  all  the  laws 
proceeded.  Therefore  make  thy  ears  as  a  sieve,  and  incline 
thy  heart  to  possess  all  these  words. ) ” 

Then  said  Rabbi  Josah,  <(  Happy  the  generation  which 
Rabbi  Eleazer  teaches.  ” 


The  Rabbis  of  Jabnah  expressed  their  regard  for  all  hu¬ 
man  beings,  learned  and  unlearned,  in  this  manner  :  — 

<(  I  am  a  creature  of  God  and  so  is  my  neighbor.  He 
may  prefer  to  labor  in  the  country  ;  I  prefer  a  calling  in 
the  city.  I  rise  early  for  my  personal  benefit  ;  he  rises 
early  to  advance  his  own  interests.  As  he  does  not  seek 
to  supplant  me,  I  should  be  careful  to  do  naught  to  injure 
his  business.  Shall  I  imagine  that  I  am  nearer  to  God 
because  my  profession  advances  the  cause  of  learning  and 
his  does  not?  No.  Whether  we  accomplish  much  good  or 
little  good,  the  Almighty  will  reward  us  in  accordance  with 
our  righteous  intentions.  ” 

Abaygeh  offered  the  following  as  his  best  advice  :  — 

<(  .  Let  him  be  also  affable  and  disposed  to  foster 

kindly  feelings  between  all  people  ;  by  so  doing  he  will 
gain  for  himself  the  love  both  of  the  Creator  and  His 
creatures. ” 

Rabba  always  said  that  the  possession  of  wisdom  and  a 
knowledge  of  the  law  necessarily  led  to  penitence  and  good 
deeds.  <(  For,”  said  he,  (<  it  would  be  useless  to  acquire 
great  learning  and  the  mastery  of  biblical  and  traditional 
law  and  act  irreverently  toward  one’s  parents,  or  toward 
those  superior  on  account  of  age  or  more  extensive  learn- 
mg. 

(<  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom ;  a 
good  understanding  have  all  those  who  do  God’s  com¬ 
mands.  ” 

Rabba  said,  <(  Holy  Writ  does  not  tell  us  that  to  study 
God’s  commands  shows  a  good  understanding,  but  to  do 
them.  We  must  learn,  however,  before  we  can  be  able 
to  perform  ;  and  he  who  acts  contrary  through  life  to 
the  teachings  of  the  Most  High  had  better  never  have 
been  born.” 


3o4  RABBINICAL  ANA 

4 

<(  The  wise  man  is  in  his  smallest  actions  great :  the  fool 
is  in  his  greatest  actions  small. w 

A  pupil  once  inquired  of  his  teacher,  ((  What  is  real  wis¬ 
dom  ? w  The  teacher  replied,  <(  To  judge  liberally,  to  think 
purely,  and  to  love  thy  neighbor.  *  Another  teacher  an¬ 
swered,  (<  The  greatest  wisdom  is  to  know  thyself. w 

<(  Beware  of  conceit  and  pride  of  learning ;  learn  thy 
tongue  to  utter,  ( I  do  not  know. J  ® 

If  a  man  devotes  himself  to  study,  and  becomes  learned, 
to  the  delight  and  gratification  of  his  teachers,  and  yet  is 
modest  in  conversation  with  less  intelligent  people,  honest 
in  his  dealings,  truthful  in  his  daily  walks,  the  people 
say,  (<  Happy  is  the  father  who  allowed  him  to  study 
God’s  law  ;  happy  the  teachers  who  instructed  him  in  the 
ways  of  truth  ;  how  beautiful  are  his  ways ;  how  meri¬ 
torious  his  deeds  !  Of  such  an  one  the  Bible  says,  ( He 
said  to  me,  Thou  art  my  servant ;  oh,  Israel,  through  thee 
am  I  glorified.*  }) 

But  when  a  man  devotes  himself  to  study,  and  becomes 
learned,  yet  is  disdainful  with  those  less  educated  than 
himself,  and  is  not  particular  in  his  dealings  with  his  fel¬ 
lows,  then  the  people  say  of  him,  <(  Woe  to  the  father  who 
allowed  him  to  study  God’s  law ;  woe  to  those  who  in¬ 
structed  him  ;  how  censurable  is  his  conduct ;  how  loath¬ 
some  are  his  ways  !  ’Tis  of  such  an  one  the  Bible  says, 
( And  from  his  country  the  people  of  the  Lord  de¬ 
parted^  ** 


When  souls  stand  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God,  the  poor, 
the  rich,  and  the  wicked  each  are  severally  asked  what 
excuse  they  can  offer  for  not  having  studied  the  law.  If 
the  poor  man  pleads  his  poverty  he  is  reminded  of  Hillel. 
Though  Hillel’s  earnings  were  small  he  gave  half  each  day 
to  gain  admittance  to  the  college. 

When  the  rich  man  is  questioned,  and  answers  that  the 
care  of  his  fortune  occupied  his  time,  he  is  told  that  Rabbi 
Eleazer  possessed  a  thousand  forests  and  a  thousand  ships, 
and  yet  abandoned  all  the  luxuries  of  wealth  and  jour¬ 
neyed  from  town  to  town  searching  and  expounding  the 
law. 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


305 


When  the  wicked  man  pleads  temptation  as  an  excuse 
for  his  evil  course,  he  is  asked  if  he  has  been  more 
tempted  than  Joseph,  more  cruelly  tried  than  he  was,  with 
good  or  evil  fortune. 

Yet  though  we  are  commanded  to  study  God’s  law,  we 
are  not  to  make  of  it  a  burden  ;  neither  are  we  to  neglect 
for  the  sake  of  study  any  other  duty  or  reasonable  recrea¬ 
tion.  <(  Why,^  once  asked  a  pupil,  <(  is  (thou  shalt  gather  in 
thy  corn  in  its  season  *  a  Scriptural  command  ?  Would  not 
the  people  gather  their  corn  when  ripe  as  a  matter  of 
course?  The  command  is  superfluous. w 

<(  Not  so, w  replied  the  Rabbis ;  <(  the  corn  might  belong  to 
a  man  who  for  the  sake  of  study  would  neglect  wrork. 
Work  is  holy  and  honorable  in  God’s  sight,  and  He  would 
not  have  men  fail  to  perform  their  daily  duties  even  for 
the  study  of  His  law. w 


Bless  God  for  the  good  as  well  as  for  the  evil.  When 
you  hear  of  a  death  say,  (<  Blessed  is  the  righteous  Judge. J) 

Prayer  is  Israel’s  only  weapon,  a  weapon  inherited  from 
its  fathers,  a  weapon  proved  in  a  thousand  battles.  Even 
when  the  gates  of  prayer  are  shut  in  heaven,  those  of  tears 
are  open. 

We  read  that  in  the  contest  with  Amalek,  when  Moses 
lifted  up  his  arms  Israel  prevailed.  Did  Moses’s  hands 
affect  the  war,  to  make  it  or  to  break  it?  No;  but  while 
the  ones  of  Israel  look  upward  with  humble  heart  to  the 
Great  Father  in  Heaven,  no  evil  can  prevail  against  them. 

<(  And  Moses  made  a  serpent  of  brass  and  put  it  upon  a 
pole  ;  and  it  came  to  pass  that  if  a  serpent  had  bitten  any 
man,  when  he  beheld  the  serpent  of  brass  he  lived. }> 

Had  the  brazen  serpent  the  power  of  killing  or  of  giving 
life?  No;  but  while  Israel  looks  upward  to  the  Great 
Father  in  Heaven,  He  will  grant  life. 

<(  Has  God  pleasure  in  the  meat  and  blood  of  sacrifices  ?  * 
ask  the  prophets. 

No.  He  has  not  so  much  ordained  as  permitted  them. 
(( It  is  for  yourselves, )}  He  says;  ((  not  for  me,  that  ye  offer. * 

A  king  had  a  son  whom  he  daily  discovered  carousing 
with  dissolute  companions,  eating  and  drinking. 

20 


3°6 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


<(  Hat  at  my  table,  ”  said  the  king  ;  (<  eat  and  drink,  my 
son,  even  as  pleaseth  thee  ;  but  let  it  be  at  my  table,  and 
not  with  dissolute  companions. ” 

The  people  loved  sacrificing,  and  they  made  offerings  to 
strange  gods ;  therefore,  God  said  to  them :  (( If  ye  will 
sacrifice,  bring  your  offerings  at  least  to  me.® 

Scripture  ordains  that  the  Hebrew  slave  who  loves  his 
bondage  shall  have  his  ears  pierced  against  the  doorpost. 
Why? 

Because  that  ear  heard  from  Sinai’s  heights  these  words : 
<{  They  are  my  servants  ;  they  shall  not  be  sold  as  bonds¬ 
men. )}  My  servants,  and  not  my  servant’s  servants;  there¬ 
fore,  pierce  the  ear  of  the  one  who  loves  his  bondage  and 
rejects  the  freedom  offered  him. 

He  who  sacrifices  a  whole  offering  shall  be  rewarded  for 
a  whole  offering ;  he  who  offers  a  burnt-offering  shall  have 
the  reward  of  a  burnt-offering  ;  but  he  who  offers  humility 
to  God  and  man  shall  receive  as  great  a  reward  as  though 
he  had  offered  all  the  sacrifices  in  the  world. 


The  God  of  Abraham  will  help  the  one  who  appoints  a 
certain  place  to  pray  to  the  Hord. 

Rabbi  Henah  said,  ((  When  such  a  man  dies  they  will  say 
of  him,  ( A  pious  man,  a  meek  man,  hath  died ;  he  fol¬ 
lowed  the  example  of  our  father  Abraham. *  ” 

How  do  we  know  that  Abraham  appointed  a  certain 
place  to  pray? 

<( Abraham  rose  early  in  the  morning  and  went  to  the 
place  where  he  stood  before  the  Lord.” 

Rabbi  Chelboh  said,  (<  We  should  not  hurry  when  we 
leave  a  place  of  worship.” 

<(This,”  said  Abayyeh,  (( is  in  reference  to  leaving  a  place 
of  worship ;  but  we  should  certainly  hasten  on  our  way 
thither,  as  it  is  written,  (  Let  us  know  and  hasten  to  serve 
the  Lord.*  ” 

Rabbi  Zabid  said,  <(  When  I  used  to  see  the  Rabbis  hur¬ 
rying  to  a  lecture  in  their  desire  to  obtain  good  seats,  I 
thought  to  myself,  (  they  are  violating  the  Sabbath.  >  When, 
however,  I  heard  Rabbi  Tarphon  say,  (  One  should  always 
hasten  to  perform  a  commandment  even  on  the  Sabbath,* 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


307 


as  it  is  written,  (  They  shall  follow  after  the  Lord  when  He 
roareth  like  a  lion/  I  hurried  also,  in  order  to  be  early  in 
attendance. ” 

That  place  wherein  we  can  best  pray  to  God  is  His 
house  ;  as  it  is  written  :  — 

<l  To  listen  to  the  praises  and  prayers  which  Thy  servant 
prays  before  Thee.”  Alluding  to  the  service  in  the  house 
of  God. 

Said  Rabin,  the  son  of  Ada,  (<  Whence  do  we  derive  the 
tradition,  that  when  ten  men  are  praying  in  the  house  of 
God  the  Divine  Presence  rests  among  them  ? 

®  It  is  written,  ( God  stands  in  the  assembly  of  the 
mighty.*  That  an  assembly  or  congregation  consists  of  not 
less  than  ten,  we  learn  from  God’s  words  to  Moses  in  re¬ 
gard  to  the  spies  who  were  sent  out  to  view  the  land  of 
Canaan.  (  How  long/  said  he,  (  shall  indulgence  be  given 
to  this  evil  congregation  ?  >  Now  the  spies  numbered 
twelve  men ;  but  Joshua  and  Caleb  being  true  and  faith¬ 
ful,  there  remained  but  ten  to  form  the  ( evil  congrega¬ 
tion^  ” 

<(  Whence  do  we  derive  the  tradition  that  when  even  one 
studies  the  law,  the  Divine  Presence  rests  with  him  ?  ” 

<(  It  is  written,  ( In  every  place  where  I  shall  permit  my 
name  to  be  mentioned,  I  will  come  unto  thee  and  I  will 
bless  thee.*” 


Four  biblical  characters  offered  up  their  prayers  in  a 
careless,  unthinking  manner  ;  three  of  them  God  prospered  ; 
the  other  met  with  sorrow.  They  were,  Eleazer,  the  ser¬ 
vant  of  Abraham  ;  Caleb,  the  son  of  Ye  Phunneh  ;  Saul, 
the  son  of  Kish  ;  and  Jephtah  the  Giladite. 

Eleazer  prayed,  <(  Let  it  come  to  pass  that  the  maiden  to 
whom  I  shall  say,  *  Let  down  thy  pitcher,  I  pray  thee,  that 
I  may  drink  >  ;  and  she  shall  say,  (  Drink,  and  to  thy  cam¬ 
els  also  wTill  I  give  drink *  ;  shall  be  the  one  Thou  hast 
appointed  for  Thy  servant  Isaac.” 

Suppose  a  slave  had  appeared  and  answered  all  the  re¬ 
quirement  which  Eleazer  proposed,  would  Abraham  and 
Isaac  have  been  satisfied  ?  But  God  prospered  his  mission, 
and  (<  Rebecca  came  out.” 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


308 

Caleb  said,  (<  He  that  will  smite  Kiryath-sepher,  and  cap¬ 
ture  it,  to  him  will  I  give  ’Achsah,  my  daughter,  for  wife.” 

Would  he  have  given  his  daughter  to  a  slave  or  a  heathen  ? 

But  God  prospered  him,  and  (<Othniel,  the  son  of  Keuaz, 
Caleb’s  younger  brother,  conquered  it,  and  he  gave  him 
’Achsah,  his  daughter,  for  wife.” 

Saul  said,  <(And  it  shall  be  that  the  man  who  killeth  him 
(Goliath)  will  the  king  enrich  with  great  riches,  and  his 
daughter  will  he  give  him.” 

He  ran  the  same  risk  as  Caleb,  and  God  was  good  to 
him  also  ;  and  David,  the  son  of  Jesse,  accomplished  that 
for  which  he  had  prayed. 

Jephtah  expressed  himself  thus  :  <(  If  thou  wilt  indeed  de¬ 
liver  the  children  of  Amon  into  my  hand,  then  shall  it  be 
that  whatsoever  cometh  forth  out  of  the  doors  of  my  house 
to  meet  me  when  I  return  in  peace  from  the  children  of 
Amon,  shall  belong  to  the  Lord,  and  I  will  offer  it  up  for 
a  burnt-offering.” 

Supposing  an  ass,  or  a  dog,  or  a  cat,  had  first  met  him 
upon  his  return,  would  he  have  sacrificed  it  for  a  burnt- 
offering?  God  did  not  prosper  this  risk,  and  the  Bible 
says,  <(  And  Jephtah  came  to  Mizpah  unto  his  house,  and 
behold  his  daughter  came  out  to  meet  him.” 

Said  Rabbi  Simon  ben  Jochai,  (( The  requests  of  three 
persons  were  granted  before  they  had  finished  their  prayers 
—  Eleazer,  Moses,  and  Solomon. 

<(  In  regard  to  Eleazer  we  learn,  (  And  before  he  had  yet 
finished  speaking  that,  behold  Rebecca  came  out.' 

<(In  regard  to  Moses,  we  find,  ( And  it  came  to  pass 
when  he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking  all  these  words, 
that  the  ground  that  was  under  them  was  cloven  asunder, 
and  the  earth  opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed  them.'” 
(Korach  and  his  company.) 

(<  In  regard  to  Solomon,  we  find,  (  And  just  when  Solo¬ 
mon  had  made  an  end  of  praying,  a  fire  came  down,'  ”  etc. 


Rabbi  Jochanan  said  in  the  name  of  Rabbi  Joseh,  <(  To 
those  who  delight  in  the  Sabbath  shall  God  give  inherit¬ 
ance  without  end.  As  it  is  written,  (  Then  shalt  thou  find 
delight  in  the  Lord,' etc.  <  And  I  will  cause  thee  to  enjoy 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


309 


the  inheritance  of  Jacob,  thy  father.*  Not  as  it  was  prom¬ 
ised  to  Abraham,  (  Arise  and  walk  through  the  land  to  its 
length  and  breadth.*  Not  as  it  was  promised  to  Isaac,  (  I 
will  give  thee  all  that  this  land  contains  *  ;  but  as  it  was 
promised  to  Jacob,  (  And  thou  shalt  spread  abroad,  to  the 
West,  and  to  the  East,  to  the  North,  and  to  the  Souths  ” 
Rabbi  Jehudah  said  that  if  the  Israelites  had  strictly 
observed  the  first  Sabbath,  after  the  command  to  sanc¬ 
tify  the  seventh  day  had  been  given,  they  would  have 
been  spared  captivity ;  as  it  is  written,  (<  And  it  came  to 
pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  there  went  out  some  of  the 
people  to  gather  (the  Mannah),  but  they  found  nothing. ” 
And  in  the  next  chapter  we  find,  (<  Then  came  Amalek, 
and  fought  with  Israel  in  Rephidim.” 


One  Joseph,  a  Jew,  who  honored  the  Sabbath,  had  a 
very  rich  neighbor,  who  was  a  firm  believer  in  astrology. 
He  was  told  by  one  of  the  professional  astrologers  that  his 
wealth  would  become  Joseph’s.  He  therefore  sold  his  estate, 
and  bought  with  the  proceeds  a  large  diamond,  which  he 
sewed  in  his  turban,  saying,  <(  Joseph  can  never  obtain  this.  * 
It  so  happened,  however,  that  while  standing  one  day  upon 
the  deck  of  a  ship  in  which  he  was  crossing  the  sea,  a 
heavy  wind  arose  and  carried  the  turban  from  his  head. 
A  fish  swallowed  the  diamond,  and  being  caught  and  ex¬ 
posed  for  sale  in  the  market,  was  purchased  by  Joseph  to 
supply  his  table  on  the  Sabbath  eve.  Of  course,  upon 
opening  it  he  discovered  the  diamond. 

Rabbi  Ishmael,  the  son  of  Joshua,  was  asked,  (<  How  did 
the  rich  people  of  the  land  of  Israel  become  so  wealthy  ?  ** 
He  answered,  (<  They  gave  their  tithes  in  due  season,  as  it 
is  written,  (  Thou  shalt  give  tithes,  in  order  that  thou  may- 
est  become  rich.)>>  “But,”  answered  his  questioner,  “tithes 
were  given  to  the  Levites,  only  while  the  holy  temple  ex¬ 
isted.  What  merit  did  they  possess  while  they  dwelt  in 
Babel,  that  they  became  wealthy  there  also?”  “Because,” 
replied  the  Rabbi,  “  they  honored  the  Holy  Taw  by  expound¬ 
ing  it.  ”  “  But  in  other  countries,  where  they  did  not 

expound  the  Law,  how  did  they  deserve  wealth  ?  ”  “  By  hon¬ 

oring  the  Sabbath,”  was  the  answer. 


3*0 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


Rabbi  Achiya,  the  son  of  Abah,  said,  <(  I  sojourned  once  in 
Ludik,  and  was  entertained  by  a  certain  wealthy  man  on 
the  Sabbath  day.  The  table  was  spread  with  a  sumptuous 
repast,  and  the  dishes  were  of  silver  and  gold.  Before 
making  a  blessing  over  the  meal  the  master  of  the  house 
said,  (  Unto  the  Lord  belongeth  the  earth,  with  all  that  it 
contains.*  After  the  blessing  he  said,  ( The  heavens  are  the 
heavens  of  the  Lord,  but  the  earth  hath  He  given  to  the 
children  of  mend  I  said  to  my  host,  (  I  trust  you  will  ex¬ 
cuse  me,  my  dear  sir,  if  I  take  the  liberty  of  asking  you 
how  you  have  merited  this  prosperity  ?  *  He  answered,  (1 
was  formerly  a  butcher,  and  I  always  selected  the  finest 
cattle  to  be  killed  for  the  Sabbath,  in  order  that  the  people 
might  have  the  best  meat  on  that  day.  To  this,  I  believe 
firmly,  I  owe  my  prosperity. >  I  replied,  ( Blessed  be  the 
Lord,  that  He  hath  given  thee  all  this. *  ” 

The  Governor  Turnusrupis  once  asked  Rabbi  Akiba, 
(<What  is  this  day  you  call  the  Sabbath  more  than  any 
other  day  ?  ”  The  Rabbi  responded,  <(  What  art  thou  more 
than  any  other  person  ? ”  (( I  am  superior  to  others,”  he 

replied,  (( because  the  emperor  has  appointed  me  governor 
over  them.” 

Then  said  Akiba,  (<  The  Lord  our  God,  who  is  greater 
than  your  emperor,  has  appointed  the  Sabbath  day  to  be 
holier  than  the  other  days.” 

When  man  leaves  the  synagogue  for  his  home  an  angel 
of  good  and  an  angel  of  evil  accompany  him.  If  he  finds 
the  table  spread  in  his  house,  the  Sabbath  lamps  lighted, 
and  his  wife  and  chidren  in  festive  garments  ready  to  bless 
the  holy  day  of  rest,  then  the  good  angel  says  :  — 

<(  May  the  next  Sabbath  and  all  thy  Sabbaths  be  like  this. 
Peace  unto  this  dwelling,  peace  ;  ”  and  the  angel  of  evil  is 
forced  to  say,  <(  Amen  !  ” 

But  if  the  house  is  not  ready,  if  no  preparations  have 
been  made  to  greet  the  Sabbath,  if  no  heart  within  the 
dwelling  has  sung,  ((  Come,  my  beloved,  to  meet  the  bride  ; 
the  presence  of  the  Sabbath  let  us  receive  ;  ”  then  the  angel 
of  evil  speaks  and  says  :  — 

<(  May  all  thy  Sabbaths  be  like  this  ;  ”  and  the  weeping 
angel  of  goodness,  responds,  <(  Amen  !  ” 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


3-3 


Samson  sinned  against  the  Lord  through  his  eyes,  as  it 
is  written,  (<  I  have  seen  a  woman  of  the  daughters  of  the 
Philistines.  .  .  .  This  one  take  for  me,  for  she  pleaseth 

in  my  eyes.”  Therefore  through  his  eyes  was  he  punished, 
as  it  is  written,  (( And  the  Philistines  seized  him,  and  put 
out  his  eyes.” 

Abshalom  was  proud  of  his  hair.  (<  And  like  Abshalom 
there  was  no  man  as  handsome  in  all  Israel,  so  that  he  was 
greatly  praised  ;  from  the  sole  of  his  foot  up  to  the  crown 
of  his  head  there  was  no  blemish  on  him.  And  when  he 
shaved  off  the  hair  of  his  head,  and  it  was  at  the  end  of 
every  year  that  he  shaved  it  off,  because  it  was  too  heavy 
on  him  so  that  he  had  to  shave  it  off,  he  weighed  the  hair 
of  his  head  at  two  hundred  shekels  by  the  king’s  weight.” 
Therefore  by  his  hair  was  he  hanged. 

Miriam  waited  for  Moses  one  hour  (when  he  was  in 
the  box  of  bulrushes).  Therefore  the  Israelites  waited 
for  Miriam  seven  days,  when  she  became  leprous.  And 
the  people  did  not  set  forward  until  Miriam  was  brought 
in  again.” 

Joseph  buried  his  father.  (<And  Joseph  went  up  to 
bury  his  father.”  There  was  none  greater  among  the 
children  of  Israel  than  Joseph.  Moses  excelled  him  after¬ 
ward,  however;  therefore  we  find,  (<And  Moses  took  the 
bones  of  Joseph  -with  him.”  But  the  world  has  seen  none 
greater  than  Moses,  therefore  ’ tis  written,  <(  And  He  (God) 
buried  him  in  the  valley.” 


When  trouble  and  sorrow  become  the  portion  of  Israel, 
and  the  fainthearted  separate  from  their  people,  two  angels 
lay  their  hands  upon  the  head  of  him  who  withdraws, 
saying,  <(  This  one  shall  not  see  the  comfort  of  the  con¬ 
gregation.  ” 

When  trouble  comes  to  the  congregation  it  is  not  right 
for  a  man  to  say,  <(  I  will  go  home  ;  I  will  eat  and  drink  ; 
and  things  shall  be  peaceful  to  me ;  ”  ’tis  of  such  a  one 
that  the  holy  book  speaks,  saying,  <(  And  behold  there  is 
gladness  and  joy  ;  slaying  of  oxen,  and  killing  of  sheep  ; 
eating  of  flesh,  and  drinking  of  wine.  ( Let  us  eat  and 
drink,  for  to-morrow  we  must  dieP  And  it  was  revealed 


312 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


in  my  ears  by  the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  surely  the  iniquity  shall 

not  be  forgiven  ye  until  ye  die.” 

Our  teacher,  Moses,  always  bore  his  share  in  the 
troubles  of  the  congregation,  as  it  is  written,  “They  took 
a  stone  and  put  it  under  him.”  Could  they  not  have 
given  him  a  chair  or  a  cushion  ?  But  then  he  said,  “  Since 
the  Israelites  are  in  trouble  (during  the  war  with  Amalek) 
lo,  I  will  bear  my  part  with  them,  for  he  who  bears  his 
portion  of  the  burden  will  live  to  enjoy  the  hour  of  con¬ 
solation.  Woe  to  the  one  who  thinks,  (Ah,  well,  I  will 

neglect  my  duty ;  who  can  know  whether  I  bear  my  part 
or  not ; >  even  the  stones  of  his  house,  aye,  the  limbs  of 
the  trees,  shall  testify  against  him,  as  it  is  written,  (  For 
the  stones  will  cry  from  the  wall,  and  the  limbs  of  the 
trees  will  testify.  y  ” 


Rabbi  Meir  said,  ((  When  a  man  teaches  his  son  a  trade, 
he  should  pray  to  the  Possessor  of  the  world,  the  Dispen¬ 
ser  of  wealth  and  poverty  ;  for  in  every  trade  and  pursuit 
of  life  both  the  rich  and  the  poor  are  to  be  found.  It  is 
folly  for  one  to  say,  ‘This  is  a  bad  trade,  it  will  not 
afford  me  a  living  ;  y  because  he  will  find  many  well  to  do 
in  the  same  occupation.  Neither  should  a  successful  man 
boast  and  say,  ‘This  is  a  great  trade,  a  glorious  art,  it 
has  made  me  wealthy ; y  because  many  working  in  the 
same  line  as  himself  have  found  but  poverty.  Let  all  re¬ 
member  that  everything  is  through  the  infinite  mercy  and 
wisdom  of  God.” 

Rabbi  Simon,  the  son  of  Eleazer,  said,  “  Hast  thou  ever 
noted  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  beasts  of  the  field  how 
easily  their  maintenance  is  provided  for  them ;  and  yet 
they  were  only  created  to  serve  me.  Now  should  not  I 
find  a  livelihood  with  even  less  trouble,  for  I  was  made  to 
serve  my  fellow-creatures  ?  But,  alas  !  I  sinned  against  my 
Creator,  therefore  am  I  punished  with  poverty  and  obliged 
to  labor.” 

Rabbi  Judah  said,  “  Most  mule-drivers  are  cruel.  They 
beat  their  poor  beasts  unmercifully.  Most  camel-drivers 
are  upright.  They  travel  through  deserts  and  dangerous 
places,  and  have  time  for  meditation  and  thoughts  of  God. 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


3i3 


The  majority  of  seamen  are  religious.  Their  daily  peril 
makes  them  so.  The  best  doctors  are  deserving  of  punish¬ 
ment.  In  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  they  experiment  on 
their  patients,  and  often  with  fatal  results.  The  best  of 
butchers  deserve  to  be  rated  with  the  Amalekites,  they  are 
accustomed  to  blood  and  cruelty ;  as  it  is  written  of  the 
Amalekites,  *  How  he  met  thee  by  the  way  and  smote  the 
hindmost  of  thee,  and  that  were  feeble  behind  thee,  when 
thou  wast  faint  and  weary. }  * 


Man  is  born  with  his  hands  clenched ;  he  dies  with  his 
hands  wide  open.  Entering  life  he  desires  to  grasp  every¬ 
thing  ;  leaving  the  world,  all  that  he  possessed  has  slipped 
away. 

Even  as  a  fox  is  man  ;  as  a  fox  which  seeing  a  fine  vine¬ 
yard  lusted  after  its  grapes.  But  the  palings  were  placed 
at  narrow  distances,  and  the  fox  was  too  bulky  to  creep  be¬ 
tween  them.  For  three  days  he  fasted,  and  when  he  had 
grown  thin  he  entered  into  the  vineyard.  He  feasted  upon 
the  grapes,  forgetful  of  the  morrow,  of  all  things  but  his 
enjoyment ;  and  lo,  he  had  again  grown  stout  and  was  un¬ 
able  to  leave  the  scene  of  his  feast.  So  for  three  days  more 
he  fasted,  and  when  he  had  again  grown  thin,  he  passed 
through  the  palings  and  stood  outside  the  vineyard,  meagre 
as  when  he  entered. 

So  with  man  ;  poor  and  naked  he  enters  the  world,  poor 
and  naked  does  he  leave. 

Alexander  wandered  to  the  gates  of  Paradise  and  knocked 
for  entrance. 

Who  knocks  ? ”  demanded  the  guardian  angel. 

(<  Alexander.  ” 

(<  Who  is  Alexander  ? ” 

Alexander  —  the  Alexander  —  Alexander  the  Great  — 
the  conqueror  of  the  world.” 

(<  We  know  him  not,”  replied  the  angel ;  (<  this  is  the  Lord’s 
gate,  only  the  righteous  enter  here.” 

Alexander  begged  for  something  to  prove  that  he  had 
reached  the  gates  of  Paradise,  and  a  small  piece  of  a  skull 
was  given  to  him.  He  showed  it  to  his  wise  men,  who 
placed  it  in  one  scale  of  a  balance.  Alexander  poured  gold 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


3i4 

and  silver  into  the  other  scale,  but  the  small  bone  weighed 
heavier ;  he  poured  in  more,  adding  his  crown  jewels,  his 
diadem  ;  but  still  the  bone  outweighed  them  all.  Then  one 
of  the  wise  men,  taking  a  grain  of  dust  from  the  ground 
placed  that  upon  the  bone,  and  lo,  the  scale  flew  up. 

The  bone  was  that  which  surrounds  the  eye  of  man  ;  the 
eye  of  man  which  naught  can  satisfy  save  the  dust  which 
covers  it  in  the  grave. 


When  the  righteous  dies,  ’tis  earth  that  meets  with  loss. 
The  jewel  will  ever  be  a  jewel,  but  it  has  passed  from 
the  possession  of  its  former  owner.  Well  may  the  loser 
weep. 

Life  is  a  passing  shadow,  say  the  Scriptures.  The 
shadow  of  a  tower  or  a  tree  ;  the  shadow  which  prevails  for 
a  time?  No;  even  as  the  shadow  of  a  bird  in  its  flight,  it 
passeth  from  our  sight,  and  neither  bird  nor  shadow  re¬ 
mains. 

<(  My  lover  goes  down  into  his  garden,  to  the  beds  of 
spices,  to  wander  about  in  the  garden  and  pluck  roses }> 
(Song  of  Songs). 

The  world  is  the  garden  of  my  lover,  and  he  my  lover  is 
the  King  of  kings.  Like  a  bed  of  fragrant  spices  is  Israel, 
the  sweet  savour  of  piety  ascends  on  high,  the  perfume  of 
learning  lingers  on  the  passing  breeze,  and  the  bed  of 
beauty  is  fenced  round  by  gentle  peace.  The  plants  flour¬ 
ish  and  put  forth  leaves,  leaves  giving  grateful  shelter  to 
those  who  suffer  from  the  heats  and  disappointment  of  life, 
and  my  lover  seeking  the  most  beautiful  blossom,  plucks 
the  roses,  the  students  of  the  law,  whose  belief  is  their 
delight. 

When  the  devouring  flames  seize  upon  the  cedar,  shall 
not  the  lowly  hyssop  fear  and  tremble  ?  When  anglers 
draw  the  great  leviathan  from  his  mighty  deeps,  wrhat  hope 
have  the  fish  of  the  shallow  pond  ?  When  the  fishing-line 
is  dropped  into  the  dashing  torrent,  can  they  feel  secure, 
the  waters  of  the  purling  brook  ? 

Mourn  for  those  who  are  left ;  mourn  not  for  the  one 
taken  by  God  from  earth.  He  has  entered  into  the  eternal 
rest,  while  we  are  bowed  with  sorrow. 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


3i5 


Rabbi  Akiba  was  once  traveling  through  the  country, 
and  he  had  with  him  an  ass,  a  rooster,  and  a  lamp. 

At  nightfall  he  reached  a  village  where  he  sought  shel¬ 
ter  for  the  night  without  success. 

((  All  that  God  does  is  done  well,®  said  the  Rabbi,  and 
proceeding  toward  the  forest  he  resolved  to  pass  the  night 
there.  He  lit  his  lamp,  but  the  wind  extinguished  it. 
<c  All  that  God  does  is  done  well,  ®  he  said.  The  ass  and 
the  rooster  were  devoured  by  wild  beasts  ;  yet  still  he  said 
no  more  than  <(  All  that  God  does  is  done  well. ® 

Next  day  he  learned  that  a  troop  of  the  enemy’s  soldiers 
had  passed  through  the  forest  that  night.  If  the  ass  had 
brayed,  if  the  rooster  had  crowed,  or  if  the  soldiers  had 
seen  his  light  he  would  surely  have  met  with  death,  there¬ 
fore  he  said  again,  (<  All  that  God  does  is  done  well.  ® 


Once  when  Rabbi  Gamliel,  Rabbi  Eleazer,  the  son  of 
Azaria,  Rabbi  Judah,  and  Rabbi  Akiba  were  walking  to¬ 
gether,  they  heard  the  shouts  and  laughter  and  joyous  tones 
of  a  multitude  of  people  at  a  distance.  Four  of  the  Rabbis 
wept ;  but  Akiba  laughed  aloud. 

<(  Akiba,®  said  the  others  to  him,  (<  wherefore  laugh? 
These  heathens  who  worship  idols  live  in  peace,  and  are 
merry,  while  our  holy  city  lies  in  ruins ;  weep,  do  not 
laugh.  ® 

<(  For  that  very  reason  I  laugh,  and  am  glad,®  answered 
Rabbi  Akiba.  <(  If  God  allows  those  who  transgress  His 
will  to  live  happily  on  earth,  how  infinitely  great  must  be 
the  happiness  which  He  has  stored  up  in  the  world  to 
come  for  those  who  observe  His  commands.® 

Upon  another  occasion  these  same  Rabbis  went  up  to 
Jerusalem.  When  they  reached  Mount  Zophim  and  saw 
the  desolation  about  them  they  rent  their  garments,  and 
when  they  reached  the  spot  where  the  Temple  had  stood 
and  saw  a  fox  run  out  from  the  very  site  of  the  holy  of 
holies  four  of  them  wept  bitterly  ;  but  again  Rabbi  Akiba 
appeared  merry.  His  comrades  again  rebuked  him  for  this, 
to  them,  unseemly  state  of  feeling. 

(<  Ye  ask  me  why  I  am  merry,®  said  he;  (<  come  now,  tell 
me  why  ye  weep  ?  ® 


3  it 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


<(  Because  the  Bible  tells  us  that  a  stranger  (one  not  de¬ 
scended  from  Aaron)  who  approaches  the  holy  of  holies 
shall  be  put  to  death,  and  now  behold  the  foxes  make  of 
it  a  dwelling-place.  Why  should  we  not  weep?” 

<(  Ye  weep,”  returned  Akiba,  ((  from  the  very  reason 
which  causes  my  heart  to  be  glad.  Is  it  not  written,  (And 
testify  to  me,  ye  faithful  witnesses,  Uriah,  the  priest,  and 
Zachariah,  the  son  of  Berachiahu?>  Now  what  hath  Uriah 
to  do  with  Zachariah?  Uriah  lived  during  the  existence  of 
the  first  Temple,  and  Zachariah  during  the  second.  Know 
ye  not  that  the  prophecy  of  Uriah  is  compared  to  the 
prophecy  of  Zachariah.  From  Uriah’s  prophecy  we  find, 
( Therefore  for  your  sake  Zion  will  be  plowed  as  is  a 
field,  and  Jerusalem  will  be  a  desolation,  and  the  mount  of 
Zion  shall  be  as  a  forest ; y  and  in  Zachariah  we  find, 
(  They  will  sit,  the  old  men  and  women,  in  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem.*  Before  the  prophecy  of  Uriah  was  accom¬ 
plished  I  might  have  doubted  the  truth  of  Zachariah’ s 
comforting  words  ;  but  now  that  one  has  been  accom¬ 
plished,  I  feel  assured  that  the  promises  to  Zachariah  will 
also  come  to  pass,  therefore  am  I  glad.” 

<(Thy  words  comfort  us,  Akiba,”  answered  his  compan¬ 
ions.  <(  May  God  ever  provide  us  comfort.  ” 

Still  another  time,  when  Rabbi  Eleazer  was  very  sick 
and  his  friends  and  scholars  were  weeping  for  him,  Rabbi 
Akiba  appeared  happy,  and  asked  them  why  they  wept. 
“Because,”  they  replied,  <(  our  beloved  Rabbi  is  lying  be¬ 
tween  life  and  death.”  “  Weep  not,  on  the  contrary  be 
glad  therefor,”  he  answered.  “  If  his  wine  did  not  grow 
sour,  if  his  flag  was  not  stricken  down,  I  might  think  that 
on  earth  he  received  the  reward  of  his  righteousness ; 
but  now  that  I  see  my  teacher  suffering  for  what  evil 
he  may  have  committed  in  this  world,  I  rejoice.  He 
hath  taught  us  that  the  most  righteous  among  us  com¬ 
mit  some  sin,  therefore  in  the  world  to  come  he  will  have 
peace.  ” 


While  Rabbi  Eleazer  was  sick,  the  four  elders,  Rabbi 
Tarphon,  Rabbi  Joshua,  Rabbi  Eleazer,  the  son  of  Azoria, 
and  Rabbi  Akiba,  called  upon  him. 


RABBINICAL  ANA  317 

<(  Thou  art  better  to  Israel  than  the  raindrops  to  earth, 
or  the  raindrops  are  for  this  world  only,  while  thou,  my 
teacher,  have  helped  the  ripening  of  fruit  for  this  world 
and  the  next,”  said  Rabbi  Tarphon. 

<(  Thou  art  better  to  Israel  than  the  sun,  for  the  sun  is 
for  this  world  alone  ;  thou  hast  given  light  for  this  world 
and  the  next,”  said  Rabbi  Joshua. 

Then  spoke  Rabbi  Eleazer,  the  son  of  Azoria  :  — 

<(Thou  art  better  to  Israel,”  said  he,  “than  father  and 
mother  to  man.  They  bring  him  into  the  world,  but  thou, 
my  teacher,  showest  him  the  way  into  the  world  of  im¬ 
mortality.  ” 

Then  said  Rabbi  Akiba  :  — - 

“It  is  well  that  man  should  be  afflicted,  for  his  distresses 
atone  for  his  sins.” 

“Does  the  Bible  make  such  an  assertion,  Akiba?  ”  asked 
his  teacher. 

“Yes,”  answered  Akiba.  Twelve  years  old  was  Ma- 
nassah  when  he  became  king,  and  fifty-and-five  years  did 
he  reign  in  Jerusalem,  and  he  did  what  was  evil  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord y  (Kings).  Now,  how  was  this?  Did 
Hezekiah  teach  the  law  to  the  whole  world  and  not  to  his 
son  Manassah  ?  Assuredly  not ;  but  Manassah  paid  no  atten¬ 
tion  to  his  precepts,  and  neglected  the  word  of  God  until 
he  was  afflicted  with  bodily  pain,  as  it  is  written,  ( And  the 
Lord  spoke  to  Manassah  and  to  his  people,  but  they  lis¬ 
tened  not,  wherefore  the  Lord  brought  over  them  the  cap¬ 
tains  of  the  armies  belonging  to  the  king  of  Assyria,  and 
they  took  Manassah  prisoner  with  chains,  and  bound  him 
with  fetters,  and  led  him  off  to  Babylon  ;  and  when  he  was 
in  distress  he  besought  the  Lord  his  God,  and  humbled 
himself  greatly  before  the  God  of  his  fathers.  And  he 
prayed  to  Him,  and  He  permitted  Himself  to  be  entreated 
by  him  and  heard  his  supplication,  and  brought  him  back 
to  Jerusalem  unto  his  kingdom.  Then  did  Manassah  feel 
conscious  that  the  Lord  is  indeed  the  (true)  God.* 

<(  Now,  what  did  the  king  of  Assyria  to  Manassah  ?  He 
placed  him  in  a  copper  barrel  and  had  a  fire  kindled 
beneath  it,  and  while  enduring  great  torture  of  his  body, 
Manassah  was  further  tortured  in  his  mind.  ( Shall  I  call 


1 


3i8 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


upon  the  Almighty  ?  }  he  thought.  ( Alas  !  His  anger  burns 
against  me.  To  call  upon  my  idols  is  to  call  in  vain, — 
alas,  alas,  what  hope  remains  to  me  I > 

(<  He  prayed  to  the  greatest  of  his  idols,  and  waited  in 
vain  for  a  reply.  He  called  to  the  lesser  gods,  and  remained 
unanswered.  Then  with  trembling  heart  he  addressed  the 
great  Eternal. 

<(  ( 0  Eternal!  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and 
their  descendants,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  are  the  works 
of  Thy  hand.  Thou  didst  give  to  the  sea  a  shore,  con¬ 
trolling  with  a  word  the  power  of  the  mighty  deep.  Thou 
art  merciful  as  Thou  art  great,  and  Thou  hast  promised  to 
accept  the  repentance  of  those  who  return  to  Thee  with  up¬ 
right  hearts.  As  numerous  are  my  sins  as  the  sands  which 
cover  the  seashore.  I  have  done  evil  before  Thee,  com¬ 
mitting  abominations  in  Thy  presence  and  acting  wickedly. 
Bound  with  fetters  I  come  before  Thee,  and  on  my  knees 
I  entreat  Thee,  in  the  name  of  Thy  great  attributes  of 
mercy,  to  compassionate  my  suffering  and  my  distress. 
Pardon  me,  O  Lord,  forgive  me.  Do  not  utterly  destroy 
me  because  of  my  transgressions.  Eet  not  my  punish¬ 
ment  eternally  continue.  Though  I  am  unworthy  of  Thy 
goodness,  O  Eord,  yet  save  me  in  Thy  mercy.  Hence¬ 
forth  will  I  praise  Thy  name  all  the  days  of  my  life, 
for  all  Thy  creatures  delight  in  praising  Thee,  and  unto 
Thee  is  the  greatness  and  the  goodness  forever  and  ever, 
Selah  !  >  » 

<(God  heard  this  prayer,  even  as  it  is  written,  ( And  He 
permitted  Himself  to  be  entreated  by  him,  and  brought 
him  back  to  Jerusalem  unto  his  kingdom. >w 

<(  From  which  we  may  learn,”  continued  Akiba,  “that 
affliction  is  an  atonement  for  sin.” 


Said  Rabbi  Eleazer,  the  great,  <(  It  is  commanded  ( thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  soul  and  with  all 
that  is  loved  by  theeP 

<(  Does  not  '  with  all  thy  soul >  include  (  with  all  that  is 
loved  by  thee  ? y 

(<  Some  people  love  themselves  more  than  they  love  their 
money  ;  to  them  *tis  said,  (  with  all  thy  soul ; >  while  for  those 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


3i9 


who  love  their  mone3^  more  than  themselves  the  command¬ 
ment  reads,  ‘  with  all  that  is  loved  by  thee. J  ® 

But  Rabbi  Akiba  always  expounded  the  words,  (<  with  all  thy 
soul,®  to  mean  “even  though  thy  life  be  demanded  of  thee.® 
When  the  decree  was  issued  forbidding  the  Israelites  to 
study  the  law,  what  did  Rabbi  Akiba? 

He  installed  many  congregations  secretly,  and  in  secret 
lectured  before  them. 

Then  Papus,  the  son  of  Juda  said  to  him :  — 

“Art  not  afraid,  Akiba?  Thy  doings  may  be  discovered, 
and  thou  wilt  be  punished  for  disobeying  the  decree.® 

“  Tisten,  and  I  will  relate  to  thee  a  parable,®  answered 
Akiba.  “  A  fox,  walking  by  the  river  side,  noticed  the 
fishes  therein  swimming  and  swimming  to  and  fro,  never 
ceasing  ;  so  he  said  to  them,  ‘  Why  are  ye  hurrying,  what 
do  ye  fear?  > 

“  ‘The  nets  of  the  angler,*  they  replied. 

“‘Come,  then,*  said  the  fox,  ‘and  live  with  me  on  dry 
land. * 

“  But  the  fishes  laughed. 

“  ‘  And  art  thou  called  the  wisest  of  the  beasts  ?  >  they 
exclaimed ;  ‘  verily  thou  art  the  most  foolish.  If  we  are 
in  danger  even  in  our  element,  how  much  greater  would  be 
our  risk  in  leaving  it.* 

“  It  is  the  same  with  us.  We  are  told  of  the  law  that  it 
is  ‘our  life  and  the  prolongation  of  our  days. >  This  is  it 
when  things  are  peaceful  with  us  ;  how  much  greater  is  our 
need  of  it  then  in  times  like  these  ?  ® 

It  is  said  that  it  was  but  shortly  after  this  when  Rabbi 
Akiba  was  imprisoned  for  teaching  the  law,  and  in  the 
prison  in  which  he  was  incarcerated  he  found  Papus,  who 
had  been  condemned  for  some  other  offense. 

Rabbi  Akiba  said  to  him  :  — 

“  Papus,  what  brought  thee  here  ?  ® 

And  Papus  replied  :  — 

(<  Joy,  joy,  to  thee,  that  thou  art  imprisoned  for  studying 
God’s  law  ;  but  woe,  woe  is  mine  that  I  am  here  through 
vanity.  ® 

When  Rabbi  Akiba  was  led  forth  to  execution,  it  was 
just  at  the  time  of  the  morning  service. 


320 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


(<  (  Hear,  0  Israel  !  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord  is  one/” 
he  exclaimed  in  a  loud  and  firm  voice. 

The  torturers  tore  his  flesh  with  pointed  cards,  yet  still 
he  repeated,  ((  The  Lord  is  one.” 

<(  Always  did  I  say,”  he  continued,  <(  that  (  with  all  thy 
soul/  meant  even  though  life  should  be  demanded  of  thee, 
and  I  wondered  whether  I  should  ever  be  able  to  so 
observe  it.  Now  see,  to-day,  I  do  so  ;  ( the  Lord  is  one.  >  ” 
With  these  word  he  died. 


Elishah  ben  Abuyah,  a  most  learned  man,  became  in 
after-life  an  apostate.  Rabbi  Meir  had  been  one  of  his  pu¬ 
pils,  and  he  never  failed  in  the  great  love  which  he  bore 
for  his  teacher. 

It  happened  upon  one  occasion  when  Rabbi  Meir  was 
lecturing  in  the  college,  that  some  students  entered  and 
said  to  him  :  — 

<(  Thy  teacher,  Elishah,  is  riding  by  on  horseback  on 
this  holy  Sabbath  day.” 

Rabbi  Meir  left  the  college,  and  overtaking  Elishah 
walked  along  by  his  horse’s  side. 

The  latter  saluted  him,  and  asked  :  — 

((  What  passage  of  Scripture  hast  thou  been  expounding  ?  ” 

(<  From  the  book  of  Job,”  replied  Rabbi  Meir.  <(  ( The 
Lord  blessed  the  latter  days  of  Job  more  than  the  begin¬ 
ning.  >  ” 

(<  And  how  didst  thou  explain  the  verse  ?  ”  said  Elishah. 

<(  That  the  Lord  increased  his  wealth  twofold.  ” 

<(  But  thy  teacher,  Akiba,  said  not  so,”  returned  Elishah. 
<(  He  said  that  the  Lord  blessed  the  latter  days  of  Job  with 
twofold  of  penitenoe  and  good  deeds.” 

<(  How,”  inquired  Rabbi  Meir,  <(  wouldst  thou  explain  the 
verse,  ( Better  is  the  end  of  a  thing  than  the  beginning 
thereof/  If  a  man  buys  merchandise  in  his  youth  and 
meets  with  losses,  is  it  likely  that  he  will  recover  his  sub¬ 
stance  in  old  age?  Or,  if  a  person  studies  God’s  law  in 
his  youth  and  forgets  it,  is  it  probable  that  it  will  return 
to  his  memory  in  his  latter  days  ?  ” 

<(Thy  teacher,  Akiba,  said  not  so,”  replied  Elishah;  <(  he 
explained  the  verse,  ( Better  is  the  end  of  a  thing  when 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


32* 


the  beginning  was  good.*  My  own  life  proves  the  sound¬ 
ness  of  this  explanation.  On  the  day  when  I  was  ad¬ 
mitted  into  the  covenant  of  Abraham,  my  father  made  a 
great  feast.  Some  of  his  visitors  sang,  some  of  them 
danced,  but  the  Rabbis  conversed  upon  God’s  wisdom  and 
His  laws.  This  latter  pleased  my  father,  Abuyah,  and  he 
said,  *  When  my  son  grows  up  ye  .shall  teach  him  and  he 
shall  become  like  ye ;  he  did  not  cause  me  to  study  for 
God’s  sake  but  only  to  make  his  name  famous  through 
me.  Therefore,  in  my  latter  days  have  I  become  wicked 
and  an  apostate  ;  and  now,  return  home.  ” 

<(  And  wherefore  ?  ” 

<(  Because,  on  the  Sabbath  day,  thou  art  allowed  to  go  so 
far  and  no  farther,  and  I  have  reckoned  the  distance  thou 
hast  traveled  with  me  by  the  footsteps  of  my  horse.  ” 

<(  If  thou  art  so  wise,”  said  Rabbi  Meir,  (<  as  to  reckon 
the  distance  I  may  travel  by  the  footsteps  of  thy  horse, 
and  so  particular  for  my  sake,  why  not  return  to  God  and 
repent  of  thy  apostacy?” 

Elishah  answered  :  — 

<(  It  is  not  in  my  power.  I  rode  upon  horseback  once  on 
the  Day  of  Atonement ;  yea,  when  it  fell  upon  the  Sab¬ 
bath,  and  when  I  passed  the  synagogue  I  heard  a  voice 
crying,  (  Return,  oh  backsliding  children,  return  to  me  and 
I  will  return  to  ye  ;  except  Elishah,  the  son  of  Abuyah, 
he  knew  his  Master  and  yet  rebelled  against  Him. *  ® 

What  caused  such  a  learned  man  as  Elishah  to  turn  to 
evil  ways? 

It  is  reported  that  once  while  studying  the  law  in  the 
vale  of  Genusan,  he  saw  a  man  climbing  a  tree.  The  man 
found  a  bird’s-nest  in  the  tree,  and  taking  the  mother  with 
the  young  ones  he  still  departed  in  peace.  He  saw  another 
man  who  finding  a  bird’s-nest  followed  the  Bible’s  command 
and  took  the  young  only,  allowing  the  mother  to  fly  away  ; 
and  yet  a  serpent  stung  him  as  he  descended,  and  he  died. 
“Now,8  thought  he,  where  is  the  Bible’s  truth  and  prom¬ 
ises?  Is  it  not  written,  (And  the  young  thou  mayest 
take  to  thyself,  but  the  mother  thou  shalt  surely  let  go, 
that  it  may  be  well  with  thee  and  that  thou  mayest  live 
many  days.*  Now,  where  is  the  long  life  to  this  man  who 


21 


322 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


followed  the  precept,  while  the  one  who  transgressed  it  is 
unhurt  ?  ” 

He  had  not  heard  how  Rabbi  Akiba  expounded  this 
verse,  that  the  days  would  be  long  in  the  future  world 
where  all  is  happiness. 

There  is  also  another  reason  given  as  the  cause  for 
Elishah’s  backsliding  and  apostacy. 

During  the  fearful  period  of  religious  persecution,  the 
learned  Rabbi  Judah,  whose  life  had  been  passed  in  the 
study  of  the  law  and  the  practice  of  God’s  precepts,  was 
delivered  into  the  power  of  the  cruel  torturer.  His  tongue 
was  placed  in  a  dog’s  mouth  and  the  dog  bit  it  off. 

So  Elishah  said,  (( If  a  tongue  which  uttered  naught  but 
truth  be  so  used,  and  a  learned,  wise  man  be  so  treated,  of 
what  use  is  it  to  avoid  having  a  lying  tongue  and  being 
ignorant.  Lo,  if  these  things  are  allowed,  there  is  surely 
no  reward  for  the  righteous,  and  no  resurrection  for  the 
dead.” 

When  Elishah  waxed  old  he  was  taken  sick,  and  Rabbi 
Meir,  learning  of  the  illness  of  his  aged  teacher,  called  upon 
him. 

<(  Oh  return,  return  unto  thy  God.”  entreated  Rabbi 
Meir. 

<(  What  !  ”  exclaimed  Elishah,  <(  return  !  and  could  He  re¬ 
ceive  my  penitence,  the  penitence  of  an  apostate  who  has  so 
rebelled  against  Him  ?  ” 

«Is  it  not  written,”  said  Meir,  <<(Thou  turnest  man  to 
contrition  ? }  No  matter  how  the  soul  of  man  may  be 
crushed,  he  can  still  turn  to  his  God  and  find  relief.” 

Elishah  listened  to  these  words,  wept  bitterly  and  died. 
Not  many  years  after  his  death  his  daughters  came,  pov¬ 
erty  stricken,  asking  relief  from  the  colleges.  <(  Remem¬ 
ber,”  said  they,  <(  the  merit  of  our  father’s  learning,  not  his 
conduct.” 

The  colleges  listened  to  the  appeal  and  supported  the 
daughters  of  Elishah. 


Rabbi  Judah,  Rabbi  Joseh,  and  Rabbi  Simon  were  con¬ 
versing  one  day,  when  Judah  ben  Gerim  entered  the  apart¬ 
ment  and  sat  down  with  the  three.  Rabbi  Judah  was 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


323 


speaking  in  a  complimentary  strain  of  the  Gentiles  (Ro¬ 
mans).  “See,”  said  he,  “how  they  have  improved  their 
cities,  how  beautiful  they  have  made  them,  and  how  much 
they  have  done  for  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  the 
citizens ;  bath-houses,  bridges,  fine  broad  streets,  surely 
much  credit  is  due  them.” 

“Nay,”  answered  Rabbi  Simon,  “all  that  they  have  done 
has  been  from  a  selfish  motive.  The  bridges  bring  them  in 
a  revenue,  for  all  who  use  them  are  taxed  ;  the  bath-houses 
are  for  their  personal  adornment — ’tis  all  selfishness,  not 
patriotism.  ” 

Judah  ben  Gerim  repeated  these  remarks  to  his  friends, 
and  finally  they  reached  the  ears  of  the  emperor.  He 
would  not  allow  them  to  pass  unnoticed.  He  ordered  that 
Judah,  who  had  spoken  well  of  the  nation,  should  be  ad¬ 
vanced  in  honor ;  that  Joseh,  who  had  remained  silent  in¬ 
stead  of  seconding  the  assertions,  should  be  banished  to 
Zipore  ;  and  that  Simon,  who  had  disputed  the  compliment, 
should  be  put  to  death. 

The  latter  with  his  son  fled  and  concealed  himself  in  the 
college  when  this  fiat  became  known  to  him.  For  some 
time  he  remained  there  comparatively  safe,  his  wife  bring¬ 
ing  his  meals  daily.  But  when  the  officers  were  directed 
to  make  diligent  search  he  became  afraid,  lest  through  the 
indiscretion  of  his  wife  his  place  of  concealment  might  be 
discovered. 

“  The  mind  of  woman  is  weak  and  unsteady,  ”  said  he, 
“  perhaps  they  may  question  and  confuse  her,  and  thus  may 
death  come  upon  me.” 

So  leaving  the  city,  Simon  and  his  son  took  refuge  in  a 
lonely  cave.  Near  its  mouth  some  fruit  trees  grew,  supplying 
them  with  food,  and  a  spring  of  pure  water  bubbled  from 
rocks  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  For  thirteen  years  Rabbi 
Simon  lived  here,  until  the  emperor  died  and  his  decrees 
were  repealed.  He  then  returned  to  the  city. 

When  Rabbi  Phineas,  his  son-in-law,  heard  of  his  return, 
he  called  upon  him  at  once,  and  noticing  an  apparent  neg¬ 
lect  in  the  mental  and  physical  condition  of  his  relative, 
he  exclaimed,  “  Woe,  woe  !  that  I  meet  thee  in  so  sad  a 
condition  !  ” 


324 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


But  Rabbi  Simon  answered  :  — 

<(  Not  so  ;  happy  is  it  that  thou  findest  me  in  this  con¬ 
dition,  for  thou  findest  me  no  less  righteous  than  before. 
God  has  preserved  me,  and  my  faith  in  Him,  and  thus 
hereafter  shall  I  explain  the  verse  of  Scripture,  (  And  Jacob 
came  perfect.*  Perfect  in  his  physical  condition,  perfect  in 
his  temporal  condition,  and  perfect  in  his  knowledge  of  God.® 

Antoninus,  in  conversing  with  Rabbi  Judah,  said  to  him  : 

<(  In  the  future  world,  when  the  soul  comes  before  the 
Almighty  Creator  for  judgment,  may  it  not  find  a  plea  of 
excuse  for  worldly  wickedness  in  saying,  (Lo,  the  sin  is 
the  body’s  ;  I  am  now  free  from  the  body  ;  the  sins  were 
not  mine  *  ?  ® 

Rabbi  Judah  answered,  <(  Let  me  relate  to  thee  a  parable. 
A  king  had  an  orchard  of  fine  figs,  which  he  prized  most 
highly.  That  the  fruit  might  not  be  stolen  or  abused,  he 
placed  two  watchers  in  the  orchard,  and  that  they  them¬ 
selves  might  not  be  tempted  to  partake  of  the  fruit,  he 
chose  one  of  them  a  blind  man,  and  the  other  one  lame. 
But  lo,  when  they  were  in  the  orchard,  the  lame  man  said 
to  his  companion,  ( I  see  very  fine  figs  ;  they  are  luscious 
and  tempting ;  carry  me  to  the  tree,  that  we  may  both  par¬ 
take  of  them.* 

<(  So  the  blind  man  carried  the  lame  man,  and  they  ate 
of  the  figs. 

<(  When  the  king  entered  the  orchard  he  noticed  at  once 
that  his  finest  figs  were  missing,  and  he  asked  the  watchers 
what  had  become  of  them. 

<(  The  blind  man  answered  :  — 

((  ( I  know  not.  I  could  not  steal  them  ;  I  am  blind  ;  I 
cannot  even  see  them.* 

<(  And  the  lame  man  answered  :  — 

(<  ( Neither  could  I  steal  them  ;  I  could  not  approach  the 
tree. * 

<(  But  the  king  was  wise,  and  he  answered  :  — 

(<  (Lo,  the  blind  carried  the  lame,*  and  he  punished  them 
accordingly. 

<(  So  it  is  with  us.  The  world  is  the  orchard  in  which 
the  Eternal  King  has  placed  us,  to  keep  watch  and  ward, 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


325 


to  till  its  soil  and  care  for  its  fruit.  But  the  soul  and 
body  are  the  man  ;  if  one  violates  the  precepts,  so  does  the 
other,  and  after  death  the  soul  may  not  say,  ( It  is  the 
fault  of  the  body  to  which  I  was  tied  that  I  committed 
sins ;  }  no,  God  will  do  as  did  the  owner  of  the  orchard,  as 
it  is  written  :  — 

“  (  He  shall  call  iiom  the  heaven  above,  and  to  the  earth 
to  judge  his  people.  ■* 

.  “  He  shall  call  from  the  ( heaven  above, >  which  is  the 
soul,  and  to  the  ( earth  below,*  which  is  the  body,  mixing 
with  the  dust  from  whence  it  sprung.  ” 

A  heathen  said  to  Rabbi  Joshua,  “  Thou  believest  that 
God  knows  the  future  ? ” 

“Yes,”  replied  the  Rabbi. 

“Then,”  said  the  questioner,  “wherefore  is  it  written, 
(The  Lord  said,  I  will  destroy  everything  which  I  have 
made,  because  it  repenteth  me  that  I  have  made  them *  ? 
Did  not  the  Lord  foresee  that  man  wrould  become  corrupt  ?  ” 

Then  said  Rabbi  Joshua,  “Hast  thou  children?” 

“Yes,”  was  the  answer. 

“When  a  child  was  born,  what  didst  thou?” 

“  I  made  a  great  rejoicing.  ” 

“What  cause  hadst  thou  to  rejoice?  Dost  thou  not 
know  that  they  must  die  ?  ” 

“Yes,  that  is  true;  but  in  the  time  of  enjoyment  I  do 
not  think  of  the  future.” 

“So  was  it  with  God,”  said  Rabbi  Joshua.  “He  knew 
that  men  would  sin  ;  still  that  knowledge  did  not  prevent 
the  execution  of  his  beneficent  purpose  to  create  them.” 

One  of  the  emperors  said  to  Rabon  Gamliel  :  — 

“Your  God  is  a  thief,  as  it  is  written,  (And  the  Lord 
God  caused  a  deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  Adam,  and  he  slept. 
And  He  took  a  rib  from  Adam.*” 

The  Rabbi’s  daughter  said,  “  Let  me  answer  this  aspersion. 
Last  night  robbers  broke  into  my  room,  and  stole  therefrom 
a  silver  vessel  :  but  they  left  a  golden  one  in  its  stead.  ” 

The  emperor  replied,  “  I  wish  that  such  thieves  would 
come  every  night.” 

Thus  was  it  with  Adam  ;  God  took  a  rib  from  him,  but 
placed  a  woman  instead  of  it. 


326 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


Rabbi  Joshua,  of  Saknin,  said  in  the  name  of  Rabbi 
Levi,  <(  The  Lord  considered  from  what  part  of  the  man 
he  should  form  woman ;  not  from  the  head,  lest  she 
should  be  proud  ;  not  from  the  eyes,  lest  she  should  wish 
to  see  everything ;  not  from  the  mouth,  lest  she  might  be 
talkative ;  nor  from  the  ear,  lest  she  should  wish  to  hear 
everything ;  nor  from  the  heart,  lest  she  should  be  jeal¬ 
ous  ;  nor  from  the  hand,  lest  she  should  wish  to  find 
out  everything  ;  nor  from  the  feet  in  order  that  she  might 
not  be  a  wanderer ;  only  from  the  most  hidden  place, 
that  is  covered  even  when  a  man  is  naked  —  namely,  the 
rib.” 

The  scholars  of  Rabbi  Simon  ben  Jochai  once  asked 
him  :  — 

<(  Why  did  not  the  Lord  give  to  Israel  enough  manna  to 
suffice  them  for  a  year,  at  one  time,  instead  of  meting  it 
out  daily?  ” 

The  Rabbi  replied  :  — 

(<  I  will  answer  ye  with  a  parable.  There  was  once  a 
king  who  had  a  son  to  whom  he  gave  a  certain  yearly 
allowance,  paying  the  entire  sum  for  his  year’s  support  on 
one  appointed  day.  It  soon  happened  that  this  day  on 
which  the  allowance  was  due,  was  the  only  day  in  the 
year  when  the  father  saw  his  son.  So  the  king  changed 
his  plan,  and  gave  his  son  each  day  his  maintenance  for 
that  day  only,  and  then  the  son  visited  his  father  with 
the  return  of  each  day’s  sun. 

(<So  was  it  with  Israel;  each  father  of  a  family,  de¬ 
pendent  upon  the  manna  provided  each  da)'  by  God’s 
bounty,  for  his  support  and  the  support  of  his  family, 
naturally  had  his  mind  devoted  to  the  Great  Giver  and 
Sustainer  of  life.” 

When  Rabbi  Eleazer  was  sick  his  scholars  visited  him, 
and  said,  <(  Rabbi,  teach  us  the  way  of  life,  that  we  may 
inherit  eternity.” 

The  Rabbi  answered,  (<  Give  honor  to  your  comrades. 
Know  to  whom  you  pray.  Restrain  your  children  from 
frivolous  conversation,  and  place  them  among  the  learned 
men,  in  order  that  they  may  acquire  wisdom.  So  may  you 
merit  life  in  the  future  world.” 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


327 


When  Rabbi  Jochanan  was  sick  bis  scholars  also  called 
upon  him.  When  he  beheld  them  he  burst  into  tears. 

<(  Rabbi ! }>  they  exclaimed,  <(  Light  of  Israel !  The  chief 
pillar  I  Why  weep  ?  ® 

The  Rabbi  answered,  (<  Were  I  to  be  brought  before  a 
king  of  flesh  and  blood,  who  is  here  to-day  and  to-morrow 
in  the  grave ;  who  may  be  angry  with  me,  but  not  for¬ 
ever  ;  who  may  imprison  me,  but  not  forever ;  who  may 
kill  me,  but  only  for  this  world ;  whom  I  may  sometimes 
bribe  ;  even  then  I  would  fear.  But  now,  I  am  to  appear 
before  the  King  of  kings,  the  Most  Holy  One,  blessed  be 
He,  who  lives  through  all  eternity.  If  He  is  wroth,  it  is 
forever.  If  He  imprisons  me,  it  is  forever ;  if  He  slays 
me,  it  is  for  the  future  world ;  and  I  can  bribe  Him 
neither  with  words  nor  money.  Not  only  this,  two  paths 
are  before  me,  one  leading  to  punishment,  the  other  to  re¬ 
ward,  and  I  know  not  which  one  I  must  travel.  Should 
I  not  weep  ?  5> 

The  scholars  of  Rabbi  Johanan,  the  son  of  Zakai,  asked 
of  their  teacher  this  question  :  — 

<(  Wherefore  is  it,  that  according  to  the  law,  the  punish¬ 
ment  of  a  highwayman  is  not  as  severe  as  the  punishment 
of  a  sneak  thief?  According  to  the  Mosaic  law,  if  a  man 
steals  an  ox  or  a  sheep,  and  kills  it  or  sells  it,  he  is  re¬ 
quired  to  restore  five  oxen  for  the  one  ox,  and  four  sheep 
for  the  one  sheep ;  but  for  the  highwayman  we  find,  (  When 
he  hath  sinned  and  is  conscious  of  his  guilt,  he  shall  re¬ 
store  that  he  hath  taken  violently  away  ;  he  shall  restore  it 
and  its  principal,  and  the  fifth  part  thereof  he  shall  add 
thereto.5  Therefore,  he  who  commits  a  highway  robbery 
pays  as  punishment  one-fifth  of  the  same,  while  a  sneak 
thief  is  obliged  to  return  five  oxen  for  one  ox,  and  four 
sheep  for  one  sheep.  Wherefore  is  this  ? 5) 

(<  Because, 5)  replied  the  teacher,  (<  the  highway  robber 
treats  the  servant  as  the  master.  He  takes  away  violently 
in  the  presence  of  the  servant,  the  despoiled  man,  and  the 
master  —  God.  But  the  sneak  thief  imagines  that  God’s  eye 
is  not  upon  him.  He  acts  secretly,  thinking,  as  the  Psalm¬ 
ist  says,  (The  Lord  doth  not  see,  neither  will  the  God  of 
Jacob  regard  it.5  Listen  to  a  parable.  Two  men  made  a 


328 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


feast.  One  invited  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city,  and 
omitted  inviting  the  king.  The  other  invited  neither  the 
king  nor  his  subjects.  Which  one  deserves  condemna¬ 
tion?  Certainly  the  one  who  invited  the  subjects  and  not 
the  king.  The  people  of  the  earth  are  God’s  subjects. 
The  sneak  thief  fears  their  eyes,  yet  he  does  not  honor  the 
eye  of  the  king,  the  eye  of  God,  which  watches  all  his 
actions. 

Rabbi  Meir  says,  <(  This  law  teaches  us  how  God  regards 
industry.  If  a  person  steals  an  ox  he  must  return  five  in 
its  place,  because  while  the  animal  was  in  his  unlawful 
possession  it  could  not  work  for  its  rightful  owner.  A 
lamb,  however,  does  no  labor,  and  is  not  profitable  that 
way  ;  therefore  he  is  only  obliged  to  replace  it  fourfold. ® 

Rabbi  Nachman  dined  with  his  teacher,  Rabbi  Yitzchak,  and 
upon  departing  after  the  meal,  he  said,  (<  Teacher,  bless  me! 

((  Listen,  ®  replied  Rabbi  Yitzchak.  (<  A  traveler  was  once 
journeying  through  the  desert,  and  when  weary,  hungry, 
and  thirsty,  he  happened  upon  an  oasis,  where  grew  a 
fruitful  tree,  wide-branched,  and  at  the  foot  of  which  there 
gushed  a  spring  of  clear,  cool  water. 

(<  The  stranger  ate  of  the  luscious  fruit,  enjoying  and 
resting  in  the  grateful  shade,  and  quenching  his  thirst  in 
the  sparkling  water  which  bubbled  merrily  at  his  feet. 

(<  When  about  to  resume  his  journey,  he  addressed  the 
tree  and  spoke  as  follows  :  — 

((  (  Oh,  gracious  tree,  with  what  words  can  I  bless  thee, 
and  what  good  can  I  wish  thee  ?  I  cannot  wish  thee  good 
fruit,  for  it  is  already  thine  ;  the  blessing  of  water  is  also 
thine ;  and  the  gracious  shade  thrown  by  thy  beauteous 
branches  the  Eternal  has  already  granted  thee,  for  my  good 
and  the  good  of  those  who  travel  by  this  way.  Eet  me 
pray  to  God,  then,  that  all  thy  offspring  may  be  goodly 
as  thyself. ) 

<(  So  it  is  with  thee,  my  pupil.  How  shall  I  bless  thee  ? 
Thou  art  perfect  in  the  law,  eminent  in  the  land,  respected, 
and  blessed  with  means.  May  God  grant  that  all  thy  off¬ 
spring  may  prove  goodly  as  thyself. J> 

A  wise  man,  say  the  Rabbis,  was  Gebiah  ben  Pesisah. 
When  the  children  of  Canaan  accused  the  Israelites  of  steal- 


RABBINICAL  ANA 


329 


ing  their  land,  saying,  (<  The  land  of  Canaan  is  ours,  as  it 
is  written,  ( The  land  of  Canaan  and  its  boundaries  belong 
to  the  Canaanites,*  ®  and  demanded  restitution,  Gebiah 
offered  to  argue  the  case  before  the  ruler. 

Said  Gebiah  to  the  Africans,  <(  Ye  bring  your  proof  from 
the  Pentateuch,  and  by  the  Pentateuch  will  I  refute  it. 

( Cursed  be  Canaan  a  servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  unto 
his  brethren. *  To  whom  does  the  property  of  a  slave 
belong?  To  his  master.  Even  though  the  land  belonged 
to  ye,  through  your  servitude  it  became  Israel’s.® 

<(  Answer  him,®  said  the  ruler. 

The  accusers  asked  for  three  days’  time  to  prepare  their 
reply,  but  at  the  end  of  the  three  days  they  had  vanished. 

Then  came  the  Egyptians,  saying,  <(  ( God  gave  the 
Israelites  favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  Egyptians,  and  they  lent 
them  gold  and  silver. >  Now  return  us  the  gold  and  silver 
which  our  ancestors  lent  ye.® 

Again  Gebiah  appeared  for  the  sages  of  Israel. 

<(Four  hundred  and  thirty  years,®  said  he,  <(  did  the 
children  of  Israel  dwell  in  Egypt.  Come,  now,  pay  us  the 
wages  of  six  hundred  thousand  men  who  worked  for  ye  for 
naught,  and  we  will  return  the  gold  and  silver.® 

Then  came  the  children  of  Ishmael  and  Ketura,  before 
Alexander  of  Mukdon,  saying,  <(  The  land  of  Canaan  is 
ours,  as  it  is  written,  ( These  are  the  generations  of  Ish¬ 
mael,  the  son  of  Abraham  ;  y  even  as  it  is  written,  ( These 
are  the  generations  of  Isaac,  the  son  of  Abraham. >  One 
son  is  equal  to  the  other ;  come,  give  us  our  share.  ® 

Again  Gebiah  appeared  as  counsel  for  the  sages. 

<(From  the  Pentateuch,  which  is  your  proof,  will  I  con¬ 
found  ye  ®  said  he.  <(  Is  it  not  written  ( Abraham  gave  all 
that  he  had  to  Isaac,  but  unto  the  sons  of  the  concubines 
that  Abraham  had,  Abraham  gave  gifts?*  The  man  who 
gives  his  children  their  inheritance  during  his  life  does  not 
design  to  give  it  to  them  again  after  his  death.  To  Isaac 
Abraham  left  all  that  he  had  ;  to  his  other  children  he  gave 
gifts,  and  sent  them  away.® 


SOLOMON  AND  THE  QUEEN  OF  SHEBA 
Photogravure  after  the  painting  by  Schopin. 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS  AND 
TRADITIONS 


DO  NOT  to  others  what  you  would  not  have  others  do 
to  you. 

The  ass  complains  of  the  cold  even  in  July  (Tamuz. ) 
First  learn  and  then  teach. 

Few  are  they  who  see  their  own  faults. 

A  single  light  answers  as  well  for  a  hundred  men  as  for 
one. 

Victuals  prepared  by  many  cooks  wdll  be  neither  hot  nor 
cold. 

Truth  lasts  forever,  but  falsehood  must  vanish. 

This  is  the  punishment  of  the  liar,  that  when  he  tells 
the  truth  nobody  believes  him. 

Use  thy  best  vase  to-day,  for  to-morrow  it  may,  per¬ 
chance,  be  broken. 

When  Satan  cannot  come  himself  he  sends  wine  as  a  mes¬ 
senger. 

Woe  to  the  children  banished  from  their  father’s  tabie. 

A  handful  of  food  will  not  satisfy  the  lion,  neither  can  a 
pit  be  filled  again  with  its  own  dust. 

Pray  to  God  for  mercy  until  the  last  shovelful  of  earth 
is  cast  upon  thy  grave. 

Cease  not  to  pray  even  when  the  knife  is  laid  upon  thy 
neck. 

i 

Open  not  thy  mouth  to  speak  evil. 

To  be  patient  is  sometimes  better  than  to  have  much 
wealth. 

The  horse  fed  too  liberally  with  oats  becomes  unruly. 
Happy  the  pupil  whose  teacher  approves  his  words. 

When  the  cucumbers  are  young  we  may  tell  whether  they 
will  become  good  for  food. 

Poverty  cometh  from  God,  but  not  dirt. 


(33i) 


332 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


Our  kindly  deeds  and  our  generous  gifts  go  to  heaven 
as  messengers,  and  plead  for  us  before  our  Heavenly  Father. 

The  noblest  of  all  charities  is  in  enabling  the  poor  to 
earn  a  livelihood. 

The  camel  wanted  to  have  horns  and  they  took  away  his  ears. 

The  egg  of  to-day  is  better  than  the  hen  of  to-morrow. 

The  world  is  a  wedding. 

Youth  is  a  wreath  of  roses. 

A  myrtle  even  in  the  desert  remains  a  myrtle. 

Teach  thy  tongue  to  say,  (<  I  do  not  know.” 

The  house  which  opens  not  to  the  poor  will  open  to  the 
physician. 

The  birds  of  the  air  despise  a  miser. 

Hospitality  is  an  expression  of  Divine  worship. 

Thy  friend  has  a  friend,  and  thy  friend’s  friend  has  a 
friend  ;  be  discreet. 

Do  not  place  a  blemish  on  thine  own  flesh. 

Attend  no  auctions  if  thou  hast  no  money. 

Rather  skin  a  carcass  for  pay,  in  the  public  streets,  than 
lie  idly  dependent  on  charity. 

Deal  with  those  who  are  fortunate. 

What  is  intended  for  thy  neighbor  will  never  be  thine. 

The  weakness  of  thy  walls  invites  the  burglar. 

The  place  honors  not  the  man,  ’tis  the  man  who  gives 
honor  to  the  place. 

The  humblest  man  is  ruler  in  his  own  house. 

If  the  fox  is  king  bow  before  him. 

If  a  word  spoken  in  its  time  is  worth  one  piece  of 
money,  silence  in  its  time  is  worth  two. 

Tobias  committed  the  sins  and  his  neighbor  received  the 
punishment. 

Poverty  sits  as  gracefully  upon  some  people  as  a  red 
saddle  upon  a  white  horse. 

Drain  not  the  waters  of  thy  well  while  other  people  may 
desire  them. 

The  doctor  who  prescribes  gratuitously  gives  a  worthless 
prescription. 

The  rose  grows  among  thorns. 

The  wine  belongs  to  the  master  but  the  waiter  receives 
the  thanks. 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


333 


He  who  mixes  with  unclean  things  becomes  unclean  him¬ 
self  ;  he  whose  associations  are  pure  becomes  more  holy 
with  each  day. 

No  man  is  impatient  with  his  creditors. 

Make  but  one  sale,  and  thou  art  called  a  merchant. 

Mention  not  a  blemish  which  is  thy  own,  in  detraction 
of  thy  neighbor. 

If  certain  goods  sell  not  in  one  city,  try  another  place. 

He  who  reads  the  letter  should  execute  the  mes¬ 
sage. 

A  vessel  used  for  holy  purposes  should  not  be  put  to 
uses  less  sacred. 

Ornament  thyself  first,  then  magnify  others. 

Two  pieces  of  coin  in  one  bag  make  more  noise  than  a 
hundred. 

Man  sees  the  mote  in  his  neighbor’s  eye,  but  knows  not 
of  the  beam  in  his  own. 

The  rivalry  of  scholars  advances  science. 

If  thou  tellest  thy  secret  to  three  persons,  ten  know 
of  it. 

When  love  is  intense  both  find  room  enough  upon  one 
board  of  the  bench ;  afterward  they  may  find  themselves 
cramped  in  a  space  of  sixty  cubits. 

When  wine  enters  the  head  the  .secret  flies  out. 

When  a  liar  speaks  the  truth  he  finds  his  punishment  in 
the  general  disbelief. 

Sorrow  for  those  who  disappear  never  to  be  found. 

The  officer  of  the  king  is  also  a  recipient  of  honors. 

He  who  studies  cannot  follow  a  commercial  life  ;  neither 
can  the  merchant  devote  his  time  to  study. 

There  is  no  occasion  to  light  thy  lamp  at  noontide. 

If  thy  friends  agree  in  calling  thee  an  ass,  go  and  get  a 
halter  around  thee. 

At  the  gate  of  abundance  there  are  many  brothers  and 
friends ;  at  the  gate  of  misery  there  is  neither  brother  nor 
friend. 

The  consciousness  of  God’s  presence  is  the  first  principle 
of  religion. 

A  man’s  home  means  his  wife. 

He  who  divorces  his  wife  is  hated  before  God. 


334 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


If  thy  wife  is  small,  bend  down  to  take  her  counsel. 

The  daughter  is  as  the  mother  was. 

Do  not  confine  your  children  to  your  own  learning,  for 
they  were  born  in  another  time. 

What  the  child  says  out  of  doors  he  has  learned  indoors. 

This  world  is  an  ante-chamber  to  the  next. 

The  just  of  all  nations  have  a  portion  in  the  future  re¬ 
ward. 

Every  nation  has  its  special  guardian  angel,  its  horo¬ 
scopes,  its  ruling  planets  and  stars.  But  there  is  no  planet 
for  Israel.  Israel  shall  look  but  to  God.  There  is  no  me¬ 
diator  between  those  who  are  called  His  children  and  their 
Father  which  is  in  heaven. 

From  the  very  spoon  that  the  carver  carved,  he  has  to 
swallow  hot  mustard. 

The  laborer  is  allowed  to  shorten  his  prayers. 

He  who  teaches  his  son  to  trade  is  as  if  he  taught  him 
to  steal. 

The  laborer  at  his  work  need  not  rise  before  the  greatest 
doctor. 

Life  is  a  passing  shadow,  says  the  Scripture.  Is  it  the 
shadow  of  a  tower  or  a  tree?  A  shadow  which  prevails 
for  a  while?  No.  It  is  the  shadow  of  a  bird  in  its  flight 
—  away  flies  the  bird,  and  there  is  neither  bird  nor 
shadow. 

Man’s  passions  at  first  are  like  a  cobweb’s  thread,  at  last 
become  like  the  thickest  cable. 

Were  it  not  for  the  existence  of  passions  no  one  would 
build  a  house,  marry  a  wife,  beget  children,  or  do  any 
work. 

There  is  not  a  single  bird  more  persecuted  than  the 
dove,  yet  God  has  chosen  her  to  be  offered  upon  the  altar. 
The  bull  is  hunted  by  the  lion,  the  sheep  by  the  wolf,  the 
goat  by  the  tiger.  And  God  said  :  (<  Bring  me  a  sacrifice, 
not  from  those  that  persecute,  but  from  them  that  are  per¬ 
secuted.  * 

Prayer  is  Israel’s  only  weapon,  a  weapon  inherited  from 
his  fathers,  a  weapon  tried  in  a  thousand  battles. 

When  the  righteous  die,  they  live  ;  for  their  example 
lives. 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


335 


Let  the  fruit  pray  for  the  welfare  of  the  leaf. 

Meat  without  salt  is  fit  only  for  the  dogs. 

Trust  not  thyself  until  the  day  of  thy  death. 

Woe  to  the  country  wrhich  hath  lost  its  leader;  woe  to 
the  ship  when  its  captain  is  no  more. 

He  who  increaseth  his  flesh  but  multiplieth  food  for  the 
worms. 

The  day  is  short,  the  labor  great,  and  the  workman  slothful. 

Be  yielding  to  thy  superior  ;  be  affable  toward  the  young  ; 
be  friendly  with  all  mankind. 

Silence  is  the  fence  round  wisdom. 

Without  law,  civilization  perishes. 

Every  man  will  surely  have  his  hour. 

Rather  be  the  tail  among  lions  than  the  head  among 
foxes. 

Into  the  well  which  supplies  thee  with  water  cast  no 
stones. 

Many  a  colt’s  skin  is  fashioned  to  the  saddle  which  its 
mother  bears. 

Truth  is  heavy,  therefore  few  care  to  carry  it. 

Say  little  and  do  much. 

He  who  multiplieth  words  will  likely  come  to  sin. 

Sacrifice  thy  will  for  others,  that  they  may  be  disposed 
to  sacrifice  their  wills  for  thee. 

Study  to-day,  delay  not. 

Look  not  upon  thy  prayers  as  on  a  task  ;  let  thy  suppli¬ 
cations  be  sincere. 

He  who  is  loved  by  man  is  loved  by  God. 

Honor  the  sons  of  the  poor ;  they  give  to  science  its 
splendor. 

Do  not  live  near  a  pious  fool. 

A  small  coin  in  a  large  jar  makes  a  great  noise. 

Use  thy  noble  vase  to-day  ;  to-morrow  it  may  break. 

The  cat  and  the  rat  make  peace  over  a  carcass. 

He  who  walks  each  day  over  his  estate  finds  a  coin  daily. 

The  dog  follows  thee  for  the  crumbs  in  thy  pocket. 

The  soldiers  fight,  and  the  kings  are  heroes. 

When  the  ox  is  down  many  are  the  butchers. 

Descend  a  step  in  choosing  thy  wife ;  ascend  a  step  in 
choosing  thy  friend. 


336 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


Beat  the  gods  and  their  priests  will  tremble. 

The  sun  will  set  without  thy  assistance. 

Hold  no  man  responsible  for  his  utterances  in  times  of 
grief. 

One  man  eats,  another  says  grace. 

He  who  curbs  his  wrath  merits  forgiveness  for  his  sins. 

Commit  a  sin  twice  and  it  will  not  seem  to  thee  a  crime. 

While  our  love  was  strong  we  lay  on  the  edge  of  a 
sword,  now  a  couch  sixty  yards  wide  is  too  narrow  for  us. 

Study  is  more  meritorious  than  sacrifice. 

Jerusalem  was  destroyed  because  the  instruction  of  the 
young  was  neglected. 

The  world  is  saved  by  the  breath  of  school  children. 
Even  to  rebuild  the  Temple,  the  schools  must  not  be 
closed. 

Blessed  is  the  son  who  has  studied  with  his  father,  and 
blessed  the  father  who  has  instructed  his  son. 

Avoid  wrath  and  thou  wilt  avoid  sin  ;  avoid  intemperance 
and  thou  wilt  not  provoke  Providence. 

When  others  gather,  do  thou  disperse ;  when  others  dis¬ 
perse,  gather. 

When  thou  art  the  only  purchaser,  then  buy  ;  when  other 
buyers  are  present,  be  thou  nobody. 

The  foolish  man  knows  not  an  insult,  neither  does  a  dead 
man  feel  the  cutting  of  a  knife. 

Three  shall  not  enter  Paradise  —  the  scoffer,  the  hypo¬ 
crite,  and  the  slanderer. 

Rabbi  Gamaliel  ordered  his  servant  Tobi  to  bring  some¬ 
thing  good  from  the  market,  and  he  brought  a  tongue. 
At  another  time  he  told  him  to  bring  something  bad,  and  he 
also  returned  with  a  tongue.  (<  Why  did  you  on  both  occa¬ 
sions  fetch  a  tongue  ?  *  the  Rabbi  asked.  <(  It  is  the 
source  of  good  and  evil,®  Tobi  replied.  <(  If  it  is  good, 
there  is  nothing  better;  if  it  is  bad,  there  is  nothing 
worse.® 

The  forest  trees  once  asked  the  fruit  trees :  <(  Why  is 
the  rustling  of  your  leaves  not  heard  in  the  distance  ?  ® 
The  fruit  trees  replied  :  <(  We  can  dispense  with  the 

rustling  to  manifest  our  presence  ;  our  fruits  testify  for 
us.  ®  The  fruit  trees  then  inquired  of  the  forest  trees : 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


337 


a  Why  do  your  leaves  rustle  almost  continually  ?  ”  We 

are  forced  to  call  the  attention  of  man  to  our  existence.  ” 

Too  many  Captains  sink  the  ship. 

An  old  man  is  a  trouble  in  the  house  ;  an  old  woman  is 
a  treasure  in  the  house. 

Two  pieces  of  coin  in  one  bag  make  more  noise  than  a 
hundred. 

When  the  flood  came  over  the  earth  and  everything  was 
threatened  with  destruction,  and  every  kind  of  beast  came 
in  pairs  to  Noah,  the  Lie,  too,  asked  admittance  into  the 
ark.  Noah,  however,  refused.  <(  Only  pairs  may  enter 
here,”  he  said.  The  Lie  went  in  search  of  a  companion, 
and  at  last  met  Vice,  whom  it  invited  to  go  to  the  ark. 
(<  I  am  willing  to  keep  company  with  thee,  if  thou  wilt 
promise  to  give  me  all  thy  earnings,”  said  Vice.  The  Lie 
agreed,  and  they  were  both  admitted  into  the  ark.  After 
they  left  the  ark,  the  Lie  regretted  her  agreement,  and 
wished  to  dissolve  partnership  with  Vice,  but  it  was  too 
late,  and  thus  it  is  current  that  (<what  Lie  earneth,  Vice 
consumeth.” 

Support  the  aged  without  reference  to  religion ;  respect 
the  learned  without  reference  to  age. 

Repent  the  day  before  thy  death. 

Ten  measures  of  wisdom  came  into  the  world  ;  the  law 
of  Israel  received  nine  measures,  and  the  balance  of  the 
world  one.  Ten  measures  of  beauty  came  into  the  world  ; 
Jerusalem  received  nine  measures,  and  the  rest  of  the  world 
one. 

The  world  stands  on  three  pillars  :  law,  worship,  and 
charity. 

When  he  who  attends  the  synagogue  regularly  is  pre¬ 
vented  from  being  present,  God  asks  for  him. 

His  enemies  will  humble  themselves  before  the  one  who 
builds  a  place  of  worship. 

He  who  is  able  to  attend  synagogue,  and  neglects  to  do 
so,  is  a  bad  neighbor. 

One  need  not  stand  upon  a  high  place  to  pray,  for  it  is 
written,  <(  Out  of  the  depths  have  I  called  unto  Thee,  oh 
Lord.”  The  same  Rabbi  prohibits  moving  about  or  talking 
during  the  progress  of  prayers,  enlarging  on  Solomon’s 


22 


33« 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


advice,  <(  Keep  thy  foot  when  thou  goest  into  the  house  of 
the  Lord,  and  be  more  ready  to  hear  than  to  offer  the  sac¬ 
rifice  of  fools. ® 

The  cock  and  the  owl  both  await  daylight.  (<  The  light,  * 
says  the  cock,  <(  brings  me  delight ;  but  what  in  the  world 
art  thou  waiting  for  ?  * 

The  thief  who  finds  no  opportunity  to  steal,  considers 
himself  an  honest  man. 

A  Galilean  said,  <(  When  the  shepherd  is  angry  with  his 
flock,  he  appoints  for  its  leader  a  blind  bellwether. )} 

Though  it  is  not  incumbent  upon  thee  to  complete  the 
work,  thou  must  not  therefore  cease  from  pursuing  it.  If 
the  work  is  great,  great  will  be  thy  reward,  and  thy  Mas¬ 
ter  is  faithful  in  His  payments. 

There  are  three  crowns  :  of  the  law,  the  priesthood,  and 
the  kingship ;  but  the  crown  of  a  good  name  is  greater 
than  them  all. 

Who  gains  wisdom  ?  He  who  is  willing  to  receive  in¬ 
struction  from  all  sources.  Who  is  the  mighty  man  ?  He 
who  subdueth  his  temper.  Who  is  rich?  He  who  is  con¬ 
tent  with  his  lot.  Who  is  deserving  of  honor?  He  who 
honoreth  mankind. 

Despise  no  man  and  deem  nothing  impossible ;  every 
man  hath  his  hour  and  everything  its  place. 

Iron  breaks  stone  ;  fire  melts  iron ;  water  extinguishes 
fire ;  the  clouds  consume  water ;  the  storm  dispels  clouds  ; 
man  withstands  the  storm  ;  fear  conquers  man  ;  wine  ban¬ 
ishes  fear ;  sleep  overcomes  wine,  and  death  is  the  master 
of  sleep;  but  (<  charity, ®  says  Solomon,  <(  saves  even  from 
death. }> 

How  canst  thou  escape  sin  ?  Think  of  three  things  : 
whence  thou  comest,  whither  thou  goest,  and  before  whom 
thou  must  appear.  The  scoffer,  the  liar,  the  hypocrite, 
and  the  slanderer  can  have  no  share  in  the  future  world  of 
bliss.  To  slander  is  to  commit  murder. 

Cold  water  morning  and  evening  is  better  than  all  the 
cosmetics. 

The  question  is  asked,  <(  Why  is  man  born  with  hands 
clinched,  but  has  his  hands  wide  open  in  death  ? w  And 
the  answer  is  :  <(  On  entering  the  world,  man  desires  to 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


339 


grasp  everything ;  but  when  leaving  it  he  takes  nothing 
away. ” 

Two  dry  logs  and  one  wet ;  the  dry  ones  kindle  the 
wet. 

He  who  seeks  for  a  faultless  brother  will  have  to  re¬ 
main  brotherless. 

A  town  which  has  no  school  should  be  abolished. 

Jerusalem  was  destroyed  because  the  instruction  of  the 
young  was  neglected. 

He  who  instructs  a  child  is  as  if  he  had  created  it. 

The  teachers  are  the  guardians  of  the  State. 

Learn  first  and  philosophize  afterward. 

To  what  may  he  be  compared  who  teaches  a  child  ?  To 
one  who  writes  on  clean  paper ;  and  to  what  may  he  be 
compared  who  teaches  an  old  man  ?  To  one  who  writes  on 
blotted  paper. 

Be  eager  to  acquire  knowledge  ;  it  does  not  come  to  thee 
by  inheritance. 

Four  dispositions  are  found  among  those  who  sit  for  in¬ 
struction,  before  the  wise,  and  they  may  be  respectively 
compared  to  a  sponge,  a  funnel,  a  strainer,  and  a  sieve  ; 
the  sponge  imbibes  all,  the  funnel  receives  at  one  end  and 
discharges  at  the  other,  the  strainer  suffers  the  wine  to  pass 
through,  but  retains  the  lees,  and  the  sieve  recovers  the 
bran,  but  retains  the  fine  flour. 

To  pray  loudly  is  not  a  necessity  of  devotion ;  when  we 
pray  we  must  direct  our  hearts  toward  heaven. 

Charity  is  greater  than  all. 

Who  gives  charity  in  secret  is  greater  than  Moses. 

He  finds  authority  for  this  saying  in  the  words  of  Moses, 
<(  For  I  was  afraid  of  the  anger,”  and  the  words  of  Solo¬ 
mon  which  he  presents  as  an  answer,  (<  A  gift  given  in 
secret  pacifieth  anger. ” 

A  miser  is  as  wicked  as  an  idolater. 

Charity  is  more  than  sacrifices. 

<(  He  who  gives  (charity)  becomes  rich,”  or  as  it  is  writ¬ 
ten,  (<  A  beneficent  soul  will  be  abundantly  gratified.” 

One  day  a  philosopher  inquired  of  Rabbi  Akiba,  <(  If 
your  God  loves  the  poor,  why  does  He  not  support 
them  ?  ” 


340 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


“  God  allows  the  poor  to  be  with  us  ever,”  responded 
Akiba,  <(  that  the  opportunities  for  doing  good  may  never 
fail.” 

“But,”  returned  the  philosopher,  “how  do  you  know 
that  this  virtue  of  charity  pleases  God  ?  If  a  master 
punishes  his  slaves  by  depriving  them  of  food  and  cloth¬ 
ing,  does  he  feel  pleased  when  others  feed  and  clothe 
them  ?  ” 

“But  suppose,  on  the  other  hand,”  said  the  Rabbi,  “that 
the  children  of  a  tender  father,  children  whom  he  could  no 
longer  justly  assist,  had  fallen  into  poverty,  would  he  be 
displeased  if  kind  souls  pitied  and  aided  them  ?  We  are 
not  the  slaves  of  a  hard  master.  God  calls  us  His  chil¬ 
dren,  and  Himself  we  call  our  Father.” 

When  one  stands  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God  these 
questions  are  asked  :  — 

“  Hast  thou  been  honest  in  all  thy  dealings  ?  ” 

“  Hast  thou  set  aside  a  portion  of  thy  time  for  the  study 
of  the  law?  ” 

“  Hast  thou  observed  the  first  commandment  ?  ” 

“  Hast  thou,  in  trouble,  still  hoped  and  believed  in 
God  ?  ” 

“  Hast  thou  spoken  wisely  ?  ” 

All  the  blessings  of  a  household  come  through  the  wife, 
therefore  should  her  husband  honor  her. 

Men  should  be  careful  lest  they  cause  women  to  weep, 
for  God  counts  their  tears. 

In  cases  of  charity,  where  both  men  and  women  claim 
relief,  the  latter  should  be  first  assisted.  If  there  should 
not  be  enough  for  both,  the  men  should  cheerfully  relin¬ 
quish  their  claims. 

A  woman’s  death  is  felt  by  nobody  as  by  her  husband. 

Tears  are  shed  on  God’s  altar  for  the  one  who  forsakes 
his  first  love. 

He  who  loves  his  wife  as  himself,  and  honors  her  more 
than  himself,  will  train  his  children  properly  ;  he  will  meet, 
too,  the  fulfillment  of  the  verse,  “  And  thou  shalt  know 
that  there  is  peace  in  thy  tent,  and  thou  wilt  look  over 
thy  habitation  and  shall  miss  nothing.” 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


34i 


I  never  call  my  wife  (<  wife,®  but  (<  home,”  for  she,  indeed, 
makes  my  home. 

He  who  possesses  a  knowledge  of  God,  and  a  knowledge 
of  man,  will  not  easily  commit  sin. 

The  Bible  was  given  us  to  establish  peace. 

He  who  wrongs  his  fellow-man,  even  in  so  small  a  coin 
as  a  penny,  is  as  wicked  as  if  he  should  take  life. 

He  who  raises  his  hand  against  his  fellow  in  passion  is 
a  sinner. 

Be  not  the  friend  of  one  who  wears  the  cloak  of  a  saint 
to  cover  the  deformities  of  a  fool. 

One  who  gives  way  to  passion  is  as  bad  as  an  idolater. 

Hospitality  is  as  great  a  virtue  as  studying  the  law. 

<(  Never  put  thyself  in  the  way  of  temptation,®  advised 
Rabbi  Judah;  (<  even  David  could  not  resist  it.® 

Rabbi  Tyra,  on  being  asked  by  his  pupils  to  tell  them 
the  secret  which  gained  him  a  happy,  peaceful  old  age, 
replied,  (<  I  have  never  cherished  anger  with  my  family ;  I 
have  never  envied  those  greater  than  myself,  and  I  have 
never  rejoiced  in  the  downfall  of  any  one.® 

Unhappy  is  he  who  mistakes  the  branch  for  the  tree,  the 
shadow  for  the  substance. 

Thy  yesterday  is  thy  past ;  thy  to-day  thy  future ;  thy 
to-morrow  is  a  secret. 

The  best  preacher  is  the  heart ;  the  best  teacher  is  time  ; 
the  best  book  is  the  world  ;  the  best  friend  is  God. 

Uife  is  but  a  loan  to  man  ;  death  is  the  creditor  who  will 
one  day  claim  it. 

Understand  a  man  by  his  own  deeds  and  words.  The 
impressions  of  others  lead  to  false  judgment. 

He  through  whose  agency  another  has  been  falsely 
punished  stands  outside  of  heaven’s  gates. 

The  sins  of  the  bad-tempered  are  greater  than  his 
merits. 

The  man  who  sins  is  foolish  as  well  as  wicked. 

The  good  actions  which  we  perform  in  this  world  take 
form  and  meet  us  in  the  world  to  come. 

Better  to  bear  a  false  accusation  in  silence,  than  by 
speaking  to  bring  the  guilty  to  public  shame. 

He  who  can  feel  ashamed  will  not  readily  do  wrong. 


342 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


There  is  a  great  difference  between  one  who  can  feel 
ashamed  before  his  own  soul  and  one  who  is  only  ashamed 
before  his  fellow-man. 

God’s  covenant  with  us  included  work ;  for  the  com¬ 
mand,  (( Six  days  shalt  thou  work  and  the  seventh 
shalt  thou  rest,”  made  the  <(  rest  ”  conditional  upon  the 
<(  work.  ” 

God  first  told  Adam  to  dress  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and 
to  keep  it,  and  then  permitted  him  to  eat  of  the  fruit  of 
his  labor. 

God  did  not  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Israel  till  they  had 
worked  to  deserve  His  presence,  for  he  commanded,  <(  They 
shall  make  me  a  sanctuary,  and  then  I  will  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  them.” 

When  Jerusalem  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Romans,  one  of 
their  philosophers  asked  of  the  Rabbis  :  — 

<(  If  your  God  dislikes  idolatry,  why  does  He  not  destroy 
the  idols  and  so  put  temptation  out  of  the  way  ?  ” 

The  wise  men  answered  :  — 

<(  Would  you  have  the  sun  and  the  moon  destroyed  be¬ 
cause  of  the  foolish  ones  who  worship  them  ?  To  change 
the  course  of  nature  to  punish  sinners,  would  bring  suffer¬ 
ing  to  the  innocent  also.” 

Rabbi  Judah  said  :  — 

(<  He  who  refuses  to  teach  a  precept  to  his  pupil  is  guilty 
of  theft,  just  as  one  who  steals  from  the  inheritance  of  his 
father  ;  as  it  is  written,  (  The  law  which  Moses  commanded 
us  is  the  inheritance  of  the  congregation  of  Jacobi  But  if 
he  teaches  him,  what  is  his  reward  ?  ” 

Raba  says,  (<  He  will  obtain  the  blessing  of  Joseph.” 

Rabbi  Eleazer  said  :  — 

<(  That  house  where  the  law  is  not  studied  by  night  should 
be  destroyed. 

(<  The  wealthy  man  who  aids  not  the  scholar  desirous  of 
studying  God’s  law  will  not  prosper. 

(<  He  who  changes  his  word,  saying  one  thing  and  doing 
another,  is  even  as  he  who  serveth  idols.” 

Rabbi  Chamah,  the  son  of  Pappa,  said  :  — 

(<  He  who  eats  or  drinks  and  blesses  not  the  Lord,  is  even 
as  he  who  stealeth,  for  it  is  said,  ( The  heavens  are  the 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


343 


heavens  of  the  Lord,  and  the  earth  hath  He  given  to  the 
children  of  men.*  ” 

Rabbi  Simon,  the  son  of  Lakish,  said  :  — 

<(  They  who  perform  one  precept  in  this  world  will  find  it 
recorded  for  their  benefit  in  the  world  to  come ;  as  it  is 

written,  (  Thy  righteousness  will  go  before  thee,  the  glory 

of  the  Lord  will  gather  thee  in.*  And  the  same  will  be 
the  case,  in  contrast,  with  those  who  sin.  For  the  Bible 

says,  (  Which  I  commanded  thee  this  day  to  do  them,*  to 

cdo  them , *  the  precepts,  to-day,  though  the  reward  is  not 
promised  to-day  ;  but  in  the  future,  ordinances  obeyed,  will 
testify  in  thy  favor,  for  ( thy  righteousness  will  go  before 
thee.  *  ” 

The  Rabbis  pronounced  those  the  <(  friends  of  God,”  who 
being  offended  thought  not  of  revenge  ;  who  practiced  good 
through  love  for  God,  and  who  were  cheerful  under  suffer¬ 
ing  and  difficulties.  Of  such  Isaiah  wrote,  They  shall 
shine  forth  like  the  sun  at  noonday.” 


Love  thy  wife  as  thyself  ;  honor  her  more  than  thyself. 
He  who  lives  unmarried,  lives  without  joy.  If  thy  wife  is 
small,  bend  down  to  her  and  whisper  in  her  ear.  He  who 
sees  his  wife  die,  has,  as  it  were,  been  present  at  the  de¬ 
struction  of  the  sanctuary  itself.  The  children  of  a  man 
who  marries  for  money  will  prove  a  curse  to  him. 

He  who  has  more  learning  than  good  deeds  is  like  a  tree 
with  many  branches  but  weak  roots  ;  the  first  great  storm 
will  throw  it  to  the  ground.  He  whose  good  works  are 
greater  than  his  knowledge  is  like  a  tree  with  fewer 
branches  but  with  strong  and  spreading  roots,  a  tree  which 
all  the  winds  of  heaven  cannot  uproot. 


Better  is  the  curse  of  the  righteous  man  than  the  bless¬ 
ing  of  the  wicked.  Better  the  curse  of  Achia,  the  Shelonite, 
than  the  blessing  of  Bil’am,  the  son  of  Beor.  Thus  did 
Achia  curse  the  Israelites,  <(  And  the  Lord  will  smite  Israel 
as  the  reed  is  shaken  in  the  water.”  The  reed  bends  but 
it  breaks  not,  for  it  groweth  by  the  water,  and  its  roots 
are  strong.  Thus  did  Bil’am  bless  Israel,  (<  As  cedar  trees 
beside  the  waters.  ”  Cedars  do  not  grow  beside  the  waters  ; 


344 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


their  roots  are  weak,  and  when  strong  winds  blow  they 
break  in  pieces. 

A  very  wealthy  man,  who  was  of  a  kind,  benevolent  dis¬ 
position,  desired  to  make  his  slave  happy.  He  gave  him, 
therefore,  his  freedom,  and  presented  him  with  a  shipload 
of  merchandise. 

(<  Go,^  said  he,  (<  sail  to  different  countries,  dispose  of 
these  goods,  and  that  which  thou  mayest  receive  for  them 
shall  be  thy  own.® 

The  slave  sailed  away  upon  the  broad  ocean,  but  before 
he  had  been  long  upon  his  voyage  a  storm  overtook  him  ; 
his  ship  was  driven  on  a  rock  and  went  to  pieces  ;  all  on 
board  were  lost,  all  save  this  slave,  who  swam  to  an  island 
shore  near  by.  Sad,  despondent,  with  naught  in  the  world, 
he  traversed  this  island,  until  he  approached  a  large  and 
beautiful  city  ;  and  many  people  approached  him  joyously, 
shouting,  <(  Welcome  !  welcome  !  Long  live  the  king  ! }> 
They  brought  a  rich  carriage,  and  placing  him  therein, 
escorted  him  to  a  magnificent  palace,  where  many  servants 
gathered  about  him,  clothing  him  in  royal  garments,  address¬ 
ing  him  as  their  sovereign,  and  expressing  their  obedience 
to  his  will. 

The  slave  was  amazed  and  dazzled,  believing  that  he  was 
dreaming,  and  all  that  he  saw7,  heard,  and  experienced 
was  mere  passing  fantasy.  Becoming  convinced  of  the  real¬ 
ity  of  his  condition,  he  said  to  some  men  about  him  for 
whom  he  experienced  a  friendly  feeling  :  — 

<(  How  is  this  ?  I  cannot  understand  it.  That  you  should 
thus  elevate  and  honor  a  man  whom  you  know  not,  a  poor, 
naked  wanderer,  whom  you  have  never  seen  before,  making 
him  your  ruler,  causes  me  more  wonder  than  I  can  readily 
express. J> 

<(  Sire,”  they  replied,  a  this  island  is  inhabited  by  spirits. 
Long  since  they  prayed  to  God  to  send  them  yearly  a  son 
of  man  to  reign  over  them,  and  He  has  answered  their 
prayers.  Yearly  He  sends  them  a  son  of  man,  whom  they 
receive  with  honor  and  elevate  to  the  throne  ;  but  his  dig¬ 
nity  and  power  ends  with  the  year.  With  its  close  his 
royal  garments  are  taken  from  him,  he  is  placed  on  board 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


345 


a  ship  and  carried  to  a  vast  and  desolate  island,  where,  un¬ 
less  he  has  previously  been  wise  and  prepared  for  this  day, 
he  will  find  neither  friend  nor  subject,  and  be  obliged  to 
pass  a  weary,  lonely,  miserable  life.  Then  a  new  king  is 
selected,  and  so  year  follows  year.  The  kings  who  pre¬ 
ceded  thee  were  careless  and  indifferent,  enjoying  their  power 
to  the  full,  and  thinking  not  of  the  day  when  it  should 
end.  Be  wiser  thou  ;  let  our  words  find  rest  within  thy  heart.” 

The  newly-made  king  listened  attentively  to  all  this,  and 
felt  grieved  that  he  should  have  lost  even  the  time  he  had 
already  missed  for  making  preparations  for  his  loss  of 
power. 

He  addressed  the  wise  man  who  had  spoken,  saying, 
<(  Advise  me,  oh,  spirit  of  wisdom,  how  I  may  prepare  for 
the  days  which  will  come  upon  me  in  the  future.” 

<(  Naked  thou  earnest  to  us  and  naked  thou  wilt  be  sent 
to  the  desolate  island  of  which  I  have  told  thee,”  replied 
the  other.  (<  At  present  thou  art  king,  and  may  do  as 
pleaseth  thee  ;  therefore  send  workmen  to  this  island  ;  let 
them  build  houses,  till  the  ground,  and  beautify  the  sur¬ 
roundings.  The  barren  soil  will  be  changed  into  fruitful 
fields,  people  will  journey  there  to  live,  and  thou  wilt  have 
established  a  new  kingdom  for  thyself,  with  subjects  to  wel¬ 
come  thee  in  gladness  when  thou  shalt  have  lost  thy  power 
here.  The  year  is  short,  the  work  is  long  :  therefore  be 
earnest  and  energetic.” 

The  king  followed  this  advice.  He  sent  workmen  and 
materials  to  the  desolate  island,  and  before  the  close  of  his 
temporary  power  it  had  become  a  blooming,  pleasant,  and 
attractive  spot.  The  rulers  who  had  preceded  him  had 
anticipated  the  day  of  their  power’s  close  with  dread,  or 
smothered  all  thought  of  it  in  revelry  ;  but  he  looked  for¬ 
ward  to  it  as  a  day  of  joy,  when  he  should  enter  upon  a 
career  of  permanent  peace  and  happiness. 

The  day  came  ;  the  freed  slave,  who  had  been  made  king, 
was  deprived  of  his  authority  ;  with  his  power  he  lost  his 
royal  garments  ;  naked  he  was  placed  upon  a  ship,  and  its 
sails  set  for  the  desolate  isle. 

When  he  approached  its  shores,  however,  the  people 
whom  he  had  sent  there  came  to  meet  him  with  music, 


346 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


song,  and  great  joy.  They  made  him  a  prince  among  them, 
and  he  lived  with  them  ever  after  in  pleasantness  and 
peace. 

The  wealthy  man  of  kindly  disposition  is  God,  and  the 
slave  to  whom  He  gave  freedom  is  the  soul  which  He 
gives  to  man.  The  island  at  which  the  slave  arrives  is  the 
world  ;  naked  and  weeping  he  appears  to  his  parents,  who 
are  inhabitants  that  greet  him  warmly  and  make  him  their 
king.  The  friends  who  tell  him  of  the  ways  of  the  country 
are  his  “good  inclinations.®  The  year  of  his  reign  is  his 
span  of  life,  and  the  desolate  island  is  the  future  world, 
which  he  must  beautify  by  good  deeds,  <(the  workmen  and 
material,®  or  else  live  lonely  and  desolate  forever. 


The  Emperor  Adrian,  passing  through  the  streets  of  Ti¬ 
berias,  noticed  a  very  old  man  planting  a  fig  tree,  and 
pausing,  said  to  him  :  — 

<(  Wherefore  plant  that  tree  ?  If  thou  didst  labor  in  thy 
youth,  thou  shouldst  now  have  a  store  for  thy  old  age, 
and  surely  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree  thou  canst  not  hope  to 
eat.® 

The  old  man  answered  :  — 

<(  In  my  youth  I  worked,  and  I  still  work.  With  God’s 
good  pleasure  I  may  e’en  partake  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree  I 
plant.  I  am  in  His  hands.® 

“Tell  me  thy  age,®  said  the  emperor. 

“  I  have  lived  for  a  hundred  years.  ® 

<(A  hundred  years  old,  and  still  expect  to  eat  from  the 
fruit  of  this  tree  ?  ® 

<(  If  such  be  God’s  pleasure,®  replied  the  old  man;  “if 
not,  I  will  leave  it  for  my  son,  as  my  father  left  the  fruit 
of  his  labor  for  me.® 

“Well,®  said  the  emperor,  <(if  thou  dost  live  until  the 
figs  from  this  tree  are  ripe,  I  pray  thee  let  me  know  of  it.® 

The  aged  man  lived  to  partake  of  that  very  fruit,  and 
remembering  the  emperor’s  words,  he  resolved  to  visit  him. 
So,  taking  a  small  basket,  he  filled  it  with  the  choicest  figs 
from  the  tree,  and  proceeded  on  his  errand.  Telling  the 
palace  guard  his  purpose,  he  was  admitted  to  the  sovereign’s 
presence. 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


347 


“Well,”  asked  the  emperor,  “what  is  thy  wish?” 

The  old  man  replied  :  — 

“  Lo,  I  am  the  old  man  to  whom  thou  didst  say,  on  the 
day  thou  sawest  him  planting  a  fig  tree,  (If  thou  livest  to 
eat  of  its  fruit,  I  pray  thee  let  me  know ; )  and  behold  I 
have  come  and  brought  thee  of  the  fruit,  that  thou  mayest 
partake  of  it  likewise.” 

The  emperor  was  very  much  pleased,  and  emptying  the 
man’s  basket  of  its  figs,  he  ordered  it  to  be  filled  with  gold 
coins. 

When  the  old  man  had  departed,  the  courtiers  said  to 
the  emperor  :  — 

“Why  didst  thou  so  honor  this  old  Jew?” 

“  The  Lord  hath  honored  him,  and  why  not  I  ?  ”  replied 
the  emperor. 

Now  next  door  to  this  old  man  there  lived  a  woman, 
who,  when  she  heard  of  her  neighbor’s  good  fortune,  de¬ 
sired  her  husband  to  try  his  luck  in  the  same  quarter.  She 
filled  for  him  an  immense  basket  with  figs,  and  bidding 
him  put  it  on  his  shoulder,  said,  “  Now  carry  it  to  the 

emperor  ;  he  loves  figs  and  will  fill  thy  basket  with  golden 

•  )) 
com. 

When  her  husband  approached  the  gates  of  the  palace, 
he  told  his  errand  to  the  guards,  saying,  “  I  brought  these 
figs  to  the  emperor  ;  empty  my  basket  I  pray,  and  fill  it 
up  again  with  gold.” 

When  this  was  told  to  the  emperor,  he  ordered  the  old 
man  to  stand  in  the  hallway  of  the  palace,  and  all  who 
passed  pelted  him  with  his  figs.  He  returned  home  wounded 
and  crestfallen  to  his  disappointed  wife. 

“Never  mind,  thou  hast  one  consolation,”  said  she;  “had 
they  been  cocoanuts  instead  of  figs  thou  mightest  have  suf¬ 
fered  harder  raps.” 


A  citizen  of  Jerusalem  traveling  through  the  country  was 
taken  very  sick  at  an  inn.  Feeling  that  he  would  not  re¬ 
cover,  he  sent  for  the  landlord  and  said  to  him,  “  I  am  go¬ 
ing  the  way  of  all  flesh.  If  after  my  death  any  party  should 
come  from  Jerusalem  and  claim  my  effects,  do  not  deliver 
them  until  he  shall  prove  to  thee  by  three  wise  acts  that  he 


348 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


is  entitled  to  them  ;  for  I  charged  my  son  before  starting 
upon  my  way,  that  if  death  befell  me  he  would  be  obliged 
to  prove  his  wisdom  before  obtaining  my  possessions.  ” 

The  man  died  and  was  buried  according  to  Jewish  rites, 
and  his  death  was  made  public  that  his  heirs  might  appear. 
When  his  son  learned  of  his  father’s  decease  he  started 
from  Jerusalem  for  the  place  where  he  had  died.  Near  the 
gates  of  the  city  he  met  a  man  who  had  a  load  of  wood 
for  sale.  This  he  purchased  and  ordered  it  to  be  delivered 
at  the  inn  toward  which  he  was  traveling.  The  man 
from  whom  he  bought  it  went  at  once  to  the  inn,  and  said, 
(<  Here  is  the  wood. ” 

<(  What  wood  ?  ”  returned  the  proprietor  ;  <(  I  ordered  no 
wood.” 

“No,®  answered  the  wToodcutter,  <(  but  the  man  who  fol¬ 
lows  me  did;  I  will  enter  and  wait  for  him.” 

Thus  the  son  had  provided  for  himself  a  welcome  when 
he  should  reach  the  inn,  which  was  his  first  wise  act. 

The  landlord  said  to  him,  (<  Who  art  thou?” 

<(The  son  of  the  merchant  who  died  in  thy  house,”  he 
replied. 

They  prepared  for  him  a  dinner,  and  placed  upon  the 
table  five  pigeons  and  a  chicken.  The  master  of  the  house, 
his  wife,  two  sons,  and  two  daughters  sat  with  him  at  the 
table. 

<(  Serve  the  food,”  said  the  landlord. 

<(Nay,”  answered  the  young  man;  <(thou  art  master,  it  is 
thy  privilege.” 

<(  I  desire  thee  to  do  this  thing  ;  thou  art  my  guest,  the 
merchant’s  son;  pray  help  the  food.” 

The  young  man  thus  entreated  divided  one  pigeon  be¬ 
tween  the  two  sons,  another  between  the  two  daughters,  gave 
the  third  to  the  man  and  his  wife,  and  kept  the  other  two 
for  himself.  This  was  his  second  wise  act. 

The  landlord  looked  somewhat  perplexed  at  this  mode  of 
distribution,  but  said  nothing. 

Then  the  merchant’s  son  divided  the  chicken.  He  gave 
to  the  landlord  and  his  wife  the  head,  to  the  two  sons  the 
legs,  to  the  two  daughters  the  wings,  and  took  the  body 
for  himself.  This  was  his  third  wise  act. 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


349 


The  landlord  said  :  — 

(<  Is  this  the  way  they  do  things  in  thy  country  ?  I  no¬ 
ticed  the  manner  in  which  thou  didst  apportion  the  pigeons, 
but  said  nothing ;  but  the  chicken,  my  dear  sir !  I  must 
really  ask  thee  thy  meaning. ” 

Then  the  young  man  answered  :  — 

<(  I  told  thee  that  it  was  not  my  place  to  serve  the  food, 
nevertheless  when  thou  didst  insist  I  did  the  best  I  could, 
and  I  think  I  have  succeeded.  Thyself,  thy  wife,  and  one 
pigeon  make  three ;  thy  two  sons  and  one  pigeon  make 
three  ;  thy  two  daughters  and  one  pigeon  make  three  ;  and 
myself  and  two  pigeons  make  three  also,  therefore  is  it 
fairly  done.  As  regards  the  chicken,  I  gave  to  thee  and 
thy  wife  the  head,  because  ye  are  the  heads  of  the  family  ; 
I  gave  to  each  of  thy  sons  a  leg,  because  they  are  the  pil¬ 
lars  of  the  family,  preserving  always  the  family  name ;  I 
gave  to  each  of  thy  daughters  a  wing,  because  in  the  nat¬ 
ural  course  of  events  they  wTill  marry,  take  wing,  and  fly 
away  from  the  home-nest.  I  took  the  body  of  the  chicken 
because  it  looks  like  a  ship,  and  in  a  ship  I  came  here  and 
in  a  ship  I  hope  to  return.  I  am  the  son  of  the  merchant 
who  died  in  thy  house  ;  give  me  the  property  of  my  dead 
father. ” 

“Take  it  and  go,”  said  the  landlord.  And  giving  him 
his  father’s  possessions  the  young  man  departed  in  peace. 

A  certain  man,  a  native  of  Athina  (a  city  near  Jerusa¬ 
lem),  visited  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  and  after  leaving  it, 
ridiculed  the  place  and  its  inhabitants.  The  Jerusalemites 
-were  very  wroth  at  being  made  the  subjects  of  his  sport, 
and  they  induced  one  of  their  citizens  to  travel  to  Athina, 
to  induce  the  man  to  return  to  Jerusalem,  wThich  -would 
give  them  an  opportunity  to  punish  his  insolence. 

The  citizen  thus  commissioned  reached  Athina,  and  very 
shortly  fell  in  with  the  man  whom  he  had  come  to  meet. 
Walking  through  the  streets  together  one  day,  the  man 
from  Jerusalem  said,  (<  See,  the  string  of  my  shoe  is  broken  ; 
take  me,  I  pray,  to  the  shoemaker.” 

The  shoemaker  repaired  the  string,  and  the  man  paid 
him  a  coin  more  in  value  than  the  worth  of  the  shoes. 


35° 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


Next  day,  when  walking  with  the  same  man,  he  broke 
the  string  of  his  other  shoe,  and  going  to  the  shoemaker, 
he  paid  him  the  same  large  sum  for  repairing  that. 

“Why,®  said  the  man  of  Athina,  <(  shoes  must  be  very 
dear  in  Jerusalem,  when  thou  payest  such  a  price  but  for 
repairing  a  string.” 

“Yes,®  answered  the  other;  <(the}r  bring  nine  ducats,  and 
even  in  the  cheapest  times  from  seven  to  eight.  ” 

<(  Then  it  would  be  a  profitable  employment  for  me  to 
take  shoes  from  my  city  and  sell  them  in  thine.  ” 

<(  Yes,  indeed ;  and  if  thou  wilt  but  let  me  know  of  thy 
coming  I  will  put  thee  in  the  way  of  customers.” 

So  the  man  of  Athina,  who  had  made  merry  over  the 
Jerusalemites,  bought  a  large  stock  of  shoes  and  set  out  for 
Jerusalem,  informing  his  friend  of  his  coming.  The  latter 
started  to  meet  him,  and  greeting  him  before  he  came  to 
the  gates  of  the  city,  said  to  him  :  — 

a  Before  a  stranger  may  enter  and  sell  goods  in  Jeru¬ 
salem,  he  must  shave  his  head  and  blacken  his  face.  Art 
thou  ready  to  do  this  ?  ” 

<(  And  why  not,  ”  replied  the  other,  <(  as  long  as  I  have  a 
prospect  of  large  profits ;  why  should  I  falter  or  hesitate  at 
so  slight  a  thing  as  that?” 

So  the  stranger,  shaving  the  hair  from  his  head  and 
blackening  his  face  (by  which  all  Jerusalem  knew  him  as 
the  man  who  had  ridiculed  the  city),  took  up  his  place  in 
the  market,  with  his  wares  spread  before  him. 

Buyers  paused  before  his  stall,  and  asked  him  :  — 

“How  much  for  the  shoes?” 

<(  Ten  ducats  a  pair,”  he  answered;  (<  or  I  may  sell  for 
nine  ;  but  certainly  for  not  less  than  eight.  ” 

This  caused  a  great  laugh  and  uproar  in  the  market,  and 
the  stranger  was  driven  from  it  in  derision  and  his  shoes 
thrown  after  him. 

Seeking  the  Jerusalemite  who  had  deceived  him,  he  said  :  — 
<(  Why  hast  thou  so  treated  me?  did  I  so  to  thee  in 
Athina  ?  ” 

((  Let  this  be  a  lesson  to  thee,”  answered  the  Jerusalem¬ 
ite.  <(  I  do  not  think  thou  wilt  be  so  ready  to  make  sport 
of  us  in  the  future.” 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


35i 


A  young  man,  upon  his  journeys  through  the  country, 
fell  in  with  a  young  woman,  and  they  became  mutually 
attached.  When  the  young  man  was  obliged  to  leave  the 
neighborhood  of  the  damsel’s  residence,  they  met  to  say 
<(  good-by. ”  During  the  parting  they  pledged  a  mutual 
faith,  and  each  promised  to  wait  until,  in  the  course  of 
time,  they  might  be  able  to  marry.  <(Who  will  be  the 
witness  of  our  betrothal  ?  ”  said  the  young  man.  Just  then 
they  saw  a  weasel  run  past  them  and  disappear  in  the 
wood.  “See,”  he  continued,  “this  weasel  and  this  well  of 
water  by  which  we  are  standing  shall  be  the  witnesses  of 
our  betrothal  ;  ”  and  so  they  parted.  Years  passed,  the 
maiden  remained  true,  but  the  youth  married.  A  son  was 
born  to  him,  and  grew  up  the  delight  of  his  parents.  One 
day  while  the  child  was  playing  he  became  tired,  and  lying 
upon  the  ground  fell  asleep.  A  weasel  bit  him  in  the 
neck,  and  he  bled  to  death.  The  parents  were  consumed 
with  grief  by  this  calamity,  and  it  was  not  until  another 
son  was  given  them  that  they  forgot  their  sorrow.  But 
when  this  second  child  was  able  to  wralk  alone  it  wandered 
without  the  house,  and  bending  over  the  well,  looking  at 
its  shadow  in  the  water,  lost  its  balance  and  was  drowned. 
Then  the  father  recollected  his  perjured  vow,  and  his  wit¬ 
nesses,  the  weasel  and  the  well.  He  told  his  wife  of  the 
circumstance,  and  she  agreed  to  a  divorce.  He  then  sought 
the  maiden  to  whom  he  had  promised  marriage,  and  found 
her  still  awaiting  his  return.  He  told  her  how,  through 
God’s  agency,  he  had  been  punished  for  his  wrongdoing, 
after  which  they  married  and  lived  in  peace. 

A  wise  Israelite,  dwelling  some  distance  from  Jerusalem, 
sent  his  son  to  the  Holy  City  to  complete  his  education. 
During  his  son’s  absence  the  father  was  taken  ill,  and  feel¬ 
ing  that  death  was  upon  him  he  made  a  will,  leaving  all 
his  property  to  one  of  his  slaves,  on  condition  that  he 
should  allow  the  son  to  select  any  one  article  which  pleased 
him  for  an  inheritance. 

As  soon  as  his  master  died,  the  slave,  elated  with  his 
good  fortune,  hastened  to  Jerusalem,  informed  his  late  mas¬ 
ter’s  son  of  what  had  taken  place,  and  showed  him  the  will. 


352 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


The  young  man  was  surprised  and  grieved  at  the  intelli¬ 
gence,  and  after  the  alloted  time  of  mourning  had  expired, 
he  began  to  seriously  consider  his  situation.  He  went  to 
his  teacher,  explained  the  circumstances  to  him,  read  him 
his  father’s  will,  and  expressed  himself  bitterly  on  account 
of  the  disappointment  of  his  reasonable  hopes  and  expec¬ 
tations.  He  could  think  of  nothing  that  he  had  done  to 
offend  his  father,  and  was  loud  in  his  complaints  of  in¬ 
justice. 

(<  Stop, ”  said  his  teacher ;  (<  thy  father  was  a  man  of 
wisdom  and  a  loving  relative.  This  will  is  a  living  monu¬ 
ment  to  his  good  sense  and  far-sightedness.  May  his  son 
prove  as  wise  in  his  day.” 

w  What  !  ”  exclaimed  the  young  man.  <(  I  see  no  wisdom 
in  his  bestowal  of  his  property  upon  a  slave  ;  no  affection 
in  this  slight  upon  his  only  son.” 

(<  Listen,”  returned  the  teacher.  <(  By  his  action  thy 
father  hath  but  secured  thy  inheritance  to  thee,  if  thou  art 
wise  enough  to  avail  thyself  of  his  understanding.  Thus 
thought  he  when  he  felt  the  hand  of  death  approaching. 
<  My  son  is  away  ;  when  I  am  dead  he  will  not  be  here  to 
take  charge  of  my  affairs  ;  my  slaves  will  plunder  my 
estate,  and  to  gain  time  will  even  conceal  my  death  from 
my  son,  and  deprive  me  of  the  sweet  savour  of  mourning.’ 
To  prevent  these  things  he  bequeated  his  property  to  his 
slave,  well  knowing  that  the  slave,  believing  in  his  appar¬ 
ent  right,  would  give  thee  speedy  information,  and  take 
care  of  the  effects,  even  as  he  has  done.” 

(<Well,  well,  and  how  does  this  benefit  me?”  impatiently 
interrupted  the  pupil. 

<(  Ah  !  ”  replied  the  teacher,  <(  wisdom  I  see  rests  not  with 
the  young.  Dost  thou  not  know  that  what  a  slave  pos¬ 
sesses  belongs  but  to  his  master?  Has  not  thy  father  left 
thee  the  right  to  select  one  article  of  all  his  property  for 
thy  own  ?  Choose  the  slave  as  thy  portion,  and  by  possess¬ 
ing  him  thou  wilt  recover  all  that  was  thy  father’s.  Such 
was  his  wise  and  loving  intention.” 

The  young  man  did  as  he  was  advised,  and  gave  the 
slave  bis  freedom  afterward.  But  ever  after  he  was  wont 
to  exclaim  :  — 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


353 


x  Wisdom  resides  with  the  aged,  and  understanding  in 
length  of  days.” 


David,  King  of  Israel,  was  once  lying  upon  his  couch 
and  many  thoughts  were  passing  through  his  mind. 

(<  Of  what  use  in  this  world  is  the  spider  ?  ”  thought  he ; 
<(it  but  increases  the  dust  and  dirt  of  the  world,  making 
places  unsightly  and  causing  great  annoyance.” 

.  Then  he  thought  of  an  insane  man :  — 

(<  How  unfortunate  is  such  a  being.  I  know  that  all 
things  are  ordained  by  God  with  reason  and  purpose,  yet 
this  is  beyond  my  comprehension ;  why  should  men  be 
born  idiots,  or  grow  insane  ?  ” 

Then  the  mosquitoes  annoyed  him,  and  the  king 
thought :  — 

<(  What  can  the  mosquito  be  good  for  ?  why  was  it  cre¬ 
ated  in  the  world?  It  but  disturbs  our  comfort,  and  the 
world  profits  not  by  its  existence.” 

Yet  King  David  lived  to  discover  that  these  very  insects, 
and  the  very  condition  of  life,  the  being  of  which  he  de¬ 
plored,  were  ordained  even  to  his  own  benefit. 

When  he  fled  from  before  Saul,  David  was  captured  in 
the  land  of  the  Philistines  by  the  brothers  of  Goliath,  who 
carried  him  before  the  King  of  Gath,  and  it  was  only  by 
pretending  idiocy  that  he  escaped  death,  the  king  deeming 
it  impossible  that  such  a  man  could  be  the  kingly  David; 
as  it  is  written,  (<  And  he  disguised  his  reason  before  their 
eyes,  and  played  the  madman  in  their  hands,  and  scribbled 
on  the  doors  of  the  gate,  and  let  his  spittle  run  down  upon 
his  beard.” 

Upon  another  occasion  David  hid  himself  in  the  cave  of 
Adullam,  and  after  he  had  entered  the  cave  it  chanced 
that  a  spider  spun  a  web  over  the  opening  thereto.  His 
pursuers  passed  that  way,  but  thinking  that  no  one  could 
have  entered  the  cave  protected  by  the  spider’s  web  with¬ 
out  destroying  it,  they  continued  on  their  way. 

The  mosquito  also  was  of  service  to  David  when  he 
entered  the  camp  of  Saul  to  secure  the  latter’s  weapon. 
While  stooping  near  Abner,  the  sleeping  man  moved  and 
placed  his  leg  upon  David’s  body.  If  he  moved,  he  would 

23 


354 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


awake  Abner  and  meet  with  death,  if  he  remained  in  that 
position  morning  'would  dawn  and  bring  him  death  ;  he 
knew  not  what  to  do,  when  a  mosquito  alighted  upon  Ab¬ 
ner’s  leg  ;  he  moved  it  quickly,  and  David  escaped. 

Therefore  sang  David  :  - — 

“All  my  bones  shall  say,  O  Tord,  who  is  like  unto 
Thee. }> 


The  Israelites  were  commanded  to  visit  Jerusalem  on 
three  festivals.  It  happened  upon  one  occasion  that  there 
was  a  scarcity  of  water  in  the  city.  One  of  the  people 
called  upon  a  certain  nobleman  who  was  the  owner  of 
three  wells,  and  asked  him  for  the  use  of  the  water  which 
they  contained,  promising  that  they  should  be  refilled  by  a 
stated  date,  and  contracting  in  default  of  this  to  pay  a  cer¬ 
tain  large  amount  in  silver  as  forfeit.  The  day  came,  there 
had  been  no  rain,  and  the  three  wells  were  dry.  In  the 
morning  the  owner  of  the  wells  sent  for  the  promised 
money.  Nakdemon,  the  son  of  Gurion,  the  man  who  had 
undertaken  this  burden  for  his  people’s  sake,  replied,  <(The 
day  is  but  begun  ;  there  is  yet  time. y> 

He  entered  the  Temple  and  prayed  that  God  might  send 
rain  and  save  him  all  his  fortune  which  he  had  ventured. 
His  prayer  was  answered.  The  clouds  gathered  and  the 
rain  fell.  As  he  passed  out  of  the  Temple  with  a  grateful 
heart,  he  was  met  by  his  creditor,  who  said  :  — 

<(  True,  the  rain  has  refilled  my  wells,  but  it  is  dark ; 
the  day  has  gone,  and  according  to  our  agreement  thou 
must  still  pay  me  the  promised  sum.” 

Once  more  Nakdemon  prayed,  and  lo,  the  clouds  lifted 
and  the  sinking  sun  smiled  brightly  on  the  spot  where  the 
men  stood,  showing  that  the  sunlight  of  day  was  still 
there,  though  the  rain-clouds  had  temporarily  obscured  its 
gleams. 


There  was  a  certain  family,  the  family  of  Abtinoss,  the 
members  of  which  were  learned  in  the  art  of  preparing  the 
incense  used  in  the  service.  Their  knowledge  they  refused 
to  impart  to  others,  and  the  directors  of  the  Temple,  fear¬ 
ing  that  the  art  might  die  with  them,  discharged  them 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


355 


from  the  service,  and  brought  other  parties  from  Alexan¬ 
dria,  in  Egypt,  to  prepare  the  sweet  perfume.  These  latter 
were  unable  to  afford  satisfaction,  however,  and  the  direc¬ 
tors  were  obliged  to  give  the  service  back  into  the  hands 
of  the  family  of  Abtinoss,  who  on  their  part  refused  to  ac¬ 
cept  it  again,  unless  the  remuneration  for  their  services 
was  doubled.  When  asked  why  they  so  persistently  refused 
to  impart  their  skill  to  others,  they  replied  that  they  feared 
they  might  teach  some  unworthy  persons,  who  would  after¬ 
ward  use  their  knowledge  in  an  idolatrous  worship.  The 
members  of  this  family  were  very  particular  not  to  use 
perfume  of  any  kind  themselves,  lest  the  people  should  im¬ 
agine  that  they  put  the  sweet  spices  used  in  the  manufac¬ 
ture  of  the  incense  to  a  baser  use. 

An  exactly  similar  case  to  the  above  occurred  wdth  the 
family  of  Garmah,  which  had  the  monopoly  of  the  knowl¬ 
edge  of  preparing  the  show-bread  used  in  the  services  of 
the  Temple. 

It  was  in  reference  to  these  cases  that  the  son  of  Azai 
said,  <(  In  thy  name  they  shall  call  thee,  and  in  thy  city 
they  shall  cause  thee  to  live,  and  from  thy  own  they  will 
give  thee,”  meaning  that  trustful  persons  should  not  fear 
that  others  might  steal  their  occupations  ;  (<  for  in  thy  name 
they  will  call  thee,”  as  with  the  families  of  Abtinoss  and 
Garmah;  (<and  from  thy  own  they  will  give  thee,”  mean¬ 
ing  that  what  a  man  earns  is  his  own,  and  cannot  be 
taken  away. 


Rabbi  Jochanan,  the  son  of  Levi,  fasted  and  prayed  to 
the  Lord  that  he  might  be  permitted  to  gaze  on  the  angel 
Elijah,  he  who  had  ascended  alive  to  heaven.  God  granted 
his  prayer,  and  in  the  semblance  of  a  man  Elijah  appeared 
before  him. 

<(  Let  me  journey  with  thee  in  thy  travels  through  the 
world,”  prayed  the  Rabbi  to  Elijah;  (<  let  me  observe  thy 
doings,  and  gain  in  wisdom  and  understanding.” 

<(Nay,”  answered  Elijah;  ((my  actions  thou  couldst  not 
understand ;  my  doings  would  trouble  thee,  being  beyond 
thy  comprehension.” 

But  still  the  Rabbi  entreated  :  — 


356 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


<(  I  will  neither  trouble  nor  question  thee,”  he  said;  <(only 
let  me  accompany  thee  on  thy  way.” 

(<  Come,  then,”  said  Elijah;  (<  but  let  thy  tongue  be  mute. 
With  thy  first  question,  thy  first  expression  of  astonish¬ 
ment,  we  must  part  company.” 

So  the  two  journeyed  through  the  world  together.  They 
approached  the  house  of  a  poor  man,  whose  only  treasure 
and  means  of  support  was  a  cow.  As  they  came  near,  the 
man  and  his  wife  hastened  to  meet  them,  begged  them  to 
enter  their  cot,  and  eat  and  drink  of  the  best  they  could 
afford,  and  to  pass  the  night  under  their  roof.  This  they 
did,  receiving  every  attention  from  their  poor  but  hospit¬ 
able  host  and  hostess.  In  the  morning  Elijah  rose  up  early 
and  prayed  to  God,  and  when  he  had  finished  his  prayer, 
behold  the  cow  belonging  to  the  poor  people  dropped  dead. 
Then  the  travelers  continued  on  their  journey. 

Much  was  Rabbi  Jochanan  perplexed.  <(  Not  only  did 
we  neglect  to  pay  them  for  their  hospitality  and  generous 
services,  but  his  cow  we  have  killed ;  ”  and  he  said  to 
Elijah,  (<Why  didst  thou  kill  the  cow  of  this  good  man. 
who - ” 

<(  Peace,”  interrupted  Elijah;  <(  hear,  see,  and  be  silent. 
If  I  answer  thy  questions  we  must  part.” 

And  they  continued  on  their  way  together. 

Toward  evening  they  arrived  at  a  large  and  imposing 
mansion,  the  residence  of  a  haughty  and  wealthy  mam 
They  were  coldly  received  ;  a  piece  of  bread  and  a  glass  of 
water  were  placed  before  them,  but  the  master  of  the  house 
did  not  welcome  or  speak  to  them,  and  they  remained  there 
during  the  night  unnoticed.  In  the  morning  Elijah 
remarked  that  a  wall  of  the  house  required  repairing,  and 
sending  for  a  carpenter,  he  himself  paid  the  money  for  the 
repair,  as  a  return,  he  said,  for  the  hospitality  they  had 
received. 

Again  was  Rabbi  Jochanan  filled  with  wonder,  but  he 
said  naught,  and  they  proceeded  on  their  journey. 

As  the  shades  of  night  were  falling  they  entered  a  city 
which  contained  a  large  and  imposing  synagogue.  As  it 
wras  the  time  of  the  evening  service  they  entered  and  were 
much  pleased  with  the  rich  adornments,  the  velvet  cushions, 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


357 


and  gilded  carvings  of  the  interior.  After  the  completion 
of  the  service,  Elijah  arose  and  called  out  aloud,  “  Who  is 
here  willing  to  feed  and  lodge  two  poor  men  this  night?  w 
none  answered,  and  no  respect  was  shown  to  the  traveling 
strangers.  In  the  morning,  however,  Elijah  re-entered  the 
synagogue,  and  shaking  its  members  by  the  hands,  he  said, 
“  I  hope  that  you  may  all  become  presidents. y> 

Next  evening  the  two  entered  another  city,  when  the 
Shamas  (sexton)  of  the  synagogue,  came  to  meet  them,  and 
notifying  the  members  of  his  congregation  of  the  com¬ 
ing  of  two  strangers,  the  best  hotel  of  the  place  was 
opened  to  them,  and  all  vied  in  showing  them  attention 
and  honor. 

In  the  morning,  on  parting  with  them,  Elijah  said, 
“  May  the  Lord  appoint  over  you  but  one  president.  ® 

Jochanan  could  resist  his  curiosity  no  longer.  “Tell 
me,”  said  he  to  Elijah,  “tell  me  the  meaning  of  all  these 
actions  which  I  have  witnessed.  To  those  who  have  treated 
us  coldly  thou  hast  uttered  good  wishes ;  to  those  who  have 
been  gracious  to  us  thou  hast  made  no  suitable  return. 
Even  though  we  must  part,  I  pray  thee  explain  to  me  the 
meaning  of  thy  acts.** 

“  Listen, ®  said  Elijah,  “and  learn  to  trust  in  God,  even 
though  thou  canst  not  understand  His  ways.  We  first 
entered  the  house  of  the  poor  man,  who  treated  us  so 
kindly.  Know  that  it  had  been  decreed  that  on  that  very 
day  his  wife  should  die.  I  prayed  unto  the  Lord  that  the 
cow  might  prove  a  redemption  for  her  ;  God  granted  my 
prayers,  and  the  woman  was  preserved  unto  her  husband. 
The  rich  man,  whom  next  we  called  up,  treated  us  coldly, 
and  I  repaired  his  wall.  I  repaired  it  without  a  new  founda¬ 
tion,  without  digging  to  the  old  one.  Had  he  repaired  it 
himself  he  would  have  dug,  and  thus  discovered  a  treasure 
which  lies  there  buried,  but  which  is  now  forever  lost  to 
him.  To  the  members  of  the  synagogue  who  were  inhos¬ 
pitable  I  said,  (May  you  all  be  presidents,*  and  where  many 
rule  there  can  be  no  peace  ;  but  to  the  others  I  said,  (  May 
you  have  but  one  president ;  *  with  one  leader  no  misunder¬ 
standing  may  arise.  Now,  if  thou  seest  the  wicked  prosper¬ 
ing,  be  not  envious ;  if  thou  seest  the  righteous  in  poverty 


358 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


and  trouble,  be  not  provoked  or  doubtful  of  God’s  justice. 
The  Lord  is  righteous,  His  judgments  all  are  true  ;  His  eyes 
note  all  mankind,  and  none  can  say,  (  What  dost  thou?>>> 

With  these  words  Elijah  disappeared,  and  Jochanan  was 
left  alone. 


There  was  once  a  man  who  pledged  his  dearest  faith  to 
a  maiden,  beautiful  and  true.  For  a  time  all  passed  pleas¬ 
antly,  and  the  maiden  lived  in  happiness.  But  then  the 
man  was  called  from  her  side,  he  left  her  ;  long  she  waited, 
but  he  did  not  return.  Friends  pitied  her  and  rivals  mocked 
her  ;  tauntingly  they  pointed  at  her,  and  said,  <(  He  has  left 
thee ;  he  will  never  come  back.  *  The  maiden  sought  her 
chamber,  and  read  in  secret  the  letters  which  her  lover  had 
written  to  her,  the  letters  in  which  he  promised  to  be  ever 
faithful,  ever  true.  Weeping  she  read  them,  but  they 
brought  comfort  to  her  heart  ;  she  dried  her  eyes  and 
doubted  not. 

A  joyous  day  dawned  for  her  ;  the  man  she  loved  returned, 
and  when  he  learned  that  others  had  doubted  and  asked  her 
how  she  had  preserved  her  faith,  she  showed  his  letters  to 
him,  declaring  her  eternal  trust. 

Israel,  in  misery  and  captivity,  was  mocked  by  the 
nations  ;  her  hopes  of  redemption  were  made  a  laughing¬ 
stock  ;  her  sages  scoffed  at  ;  her  holy  men  derided.  Into 
her  synagogues,  into  her  schools  went  Israel ;  she  read  the 
letters  which  her  God  had  written,  and  believed  in  the  holy 
promises  which  they  contained. 

God  will  in  time  redeem  her  ;  and  when  He  says  :  — 

<(  How  could  you  alone  be  faithful  of  all  the  mocking 
nations  ?  J) 

She  will  point  to  the  law  and  answer  :  — 

<(  Had  not  Thy  law  been  my  delight,  I  should  long  since 
have  perished  in  my  affliction.  ® 


When  God  was  about  to  created  man  the  angels  gathered 
about  him.  Some  of  them  opening  their  lips  exclaimed, 
w  Create,  O  God,  a  being  who  shall  praise  Thee  from  earth 
even  as  we  in  heaven  sing  Thy  glory. )J 

But  others  said  :  — 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


359 


<(  Hear  us,  Almighty  King,  create  no  more !  The  glorious 
harmony  of  the  heavens  which  Thou  hast  sent  to  earth  will 
be  by  man  disturbed,  destroyed.  ” 

Then  silence  fell  upon  the  contesting  hosts  as  the  Angel 
of  Mercy  appeared  before  the  throne  of  grace  on  bended 
knees. 

Sweet  was  the  voice  which  said  entreatingly  :  — 

<(  O,  Father,  create  Thou  man  ;  make  him  Thine  own 
noble  image.  With  heavenly  pity  will  I  fill  his  heart,  with 
sympathy  toward  every  living  thing  impress  his  being  ;  through 
him  will  they  find  cause  to  praise  Thee.” 

Then  the  Angel  of  Mercy  ceased,  and  the  Angel  of  Peace 
with  tearful  eyes  spoke  thus  :  — 

(<  O  God,  create  him  not !  Thy  peace  he  will  disturb, 
the  flow  of  blood,  will  follow  sure  his  coming.  Confusion, 
horror,  war,  will  blot  the  earth,  and  Thou  wilt  no  longer 
find  a  pleasant  place  among  Thy  works  on  earth.” 

Then  spoke  in  stern  tones  the  Angel  of  Justice:  — 

<(And  Thou  wilt  judge  him,  God;  he  shall  be  subject  to 
my  sway.” 

The  Angel  of  Truth  approached,  saying:  — 

(<  Cease  !  O  God  of  truth,  with  man  Thou  sendest  false¬ 
hood  to  the  earth.” 

Then  all  were  silent,  and  out  of  the  deep  quietness  the 
Divine  words  came  :  — 

(<  Thou,  O  Truth,  shall  go  to  earth  with  him,  and  yet 
remain  a  denizen  of  heaven ;  "twixt  heaven  and  earth  to 
float,  connecting  link  between  the  two.” 


It  was  customary  in  Bithar  when  a  child  was  born  for 
the  parents  to  plant  a  young  cedar  tree,  to  grow  up  with 
the  infant.  It  happened  upon  one  occasion  when  the  daugh¬ 
ter  of  the  emperor  was  riding  through  the  city,  that 
her  chariot  broke  down,  and  her  attendants  pulled  up  a 
young  cedar  tree  to  use  in  repairing  it.  The  man  who  had 
planted  the  tree,  seeing  this,  attacked  the  servants  and  beat 
them  severely.  This  action  incensed  the  emperor,  who 
immediately  dispatched  an  army  of  eighty  thousand  men 
against  the  city.  These  captured  it  and  killed  the  inhab¬ 
itants,  men,  women,  and  children.  The  rivers  ran  red  with 


360 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


blood,  and  ’tis  said  that  the  ground  was  rich  and  prolific 
to  the  farmers  for  seven  years,  from  the  bodies  of  those 
who  perished,  said  to  be  four  hundred  thousand  Israelites. 

When  the  guilt  of  the  Israelites  grew  too  great  for  the 
forbearance  of  the  Most  High,  and  they  refused  to  listen  to 
the  words  and  warnings  of  Jeremiah,  the  prophet  left  Jeru¬ 
salem  and  traveled  to  the  land  of  Benjamin.  While  he  was 
in  the  holy  city,  and  prayed  for  mercy  on  it,  it  was  spared  ; 
but  while  he  sojourned  in  the  land  of  Benjamin,  Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar  laid  waste  the  land  of  Israel,  plundered  the  holy 
Temple,  robbed  it  of  its  ornaments,  and  gave  it  a  prey  to 
the  devouring  flames.  By  the  hands  of  Nebuzaradan  did 
Nebuchadnezzar  send  (while  he  himself  remained  in  Riblah) 
to  destroy  Jerusalem. 

Before  he  ordered  the  expedition  he  endeavored  by  means 
of  signs,  in  accordance  with  the  superstition  of  his  age,  to 
ascertain  the  result  of  the  attempt.  He  shot  an  arrow  from 
his  bow,  pointing  to  the  west,  and  the  arrow  turned  toward 
Jerusalem.  Then  he  shot  again,  pointing  toward  the  east, 
and  the  arrow  sped  toward  Jerusalem.  Then  he  shot  once 
more,  desiring  to  know  in  which  direction  lay  the  guilty 
city  which  should  be  blotted  from  the  world,  and  for  the 
third  time  his  arrow  pointed  toward  Jerusalem. 

When  the  city  had  been  captured,  he  marched  with  his 
princes  and  officers  into  the  Temple,  and  called  out  mock¬ 
ingly  to  the  God  of  Israel,  (<And  art  thou  the  great  God 
before  whom  the  world  trembles,  and  we  here  in  thy  city 
and  thy  Temple  !  * 

On  one  of  the  walls  he  found  the  mark  of  an  arrow’s 
head,  as  though  somebody  had  been  killed  or  hit  near  by, 
and  he  asked,  <(  Who  was  killed  here?** 

<(Zachariah,  the  son  of  Yeho}radah,  the  high  priest, ®  an¬ 
swered  the  people  ;  <(  he  rebuked  us  incessantly  on  account 
of  our  transgressions,  and  we  tired  of  his  words,  and  put 
him  to  death. w 

The  followers  of  Nebuchadnezzar  massacred  the  inhabi¬ 
tants  of  Jerusalem,  the  priests  and  the  people,  old  and 
young,  women,  and  children  who  were  attending  school, 
even  babies  in  the  cradle.  The  feast  of  blood  at  last 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


361 


shocked  even  the  leader  of  the  hostile  heathens,  who  ordered 
a  stay  of  this  wholesale  murder.  He  then  removed  all 
the  vessels  of  gold  and  silver  from  the  Temple,  and  sent 
them  by  his  ships,  to  Babel,  after  which  he  set  the  Temple 
on  fire. 

The  high  priest  donned  his  robe  and  ephod,  and  saying, 
(<  Now  that  the  Temple  is  destroyed,  no  priest  is  needed  to 
officiate, threw  himself  into  the  flames  and  was  consumed. 
When  the  other  priests  who  were  still  alive  witnessed  this 
action,  they  took  their  harps  and  musical  instruments  and 
followed  the  example  of  the  high  priest.  Those  of  the 
people  whom  the  soldiers  had  not  killed  were  bound  in  iron 
chains,  burdened  with  the  spoils  of  the  victors,  and  carried 
into  captivity.  Jeremiah  the  prophet  returned  to  Jerusalem 
and  accompanied  his  unfortunate  brethren,  who  went  out 
almost  naked.  When  they  reached  a  place  called  Bet  Kuro, 
Jeremiah  obtained  better  clothing  for  them.  And  he  spoke 
to  Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  Chaldeans,  and  said,  <(  Think 
not  that  of  your  own  strength  you  were  able  to  overcome 
the  people  chosen  of  the  Lord  ;  ’tis  their  iniquities  which 
have  condemned  them  to  this  sorrow. }> 

Thus  the  people  journeyed  on  with  crying  and  moaning 
until  they  reached  the  rivers  of  Babylon.  Then  Nebuchad¬ 
nezzar  said  to  them,  uSing,  ye  people, —  play  for  me, —  sing 
the  songs  ye  were  wont  to  sing  before  your  great  Lord  in 
Jerusalem. y> 

In  answer  to  this  command,  the  Levites  hung  their  harps 
upon  the  willow  trees  near  the  banks  of  the  river,  as  it  is 
written,  “Upon  the  willows  in  her  midst  had  we  hung  up 
our  harps. J>  Then  they  said,  “If  we  had  but  performed 
the  will  of  God  and  sung  His  praises  devoutly,  we  should 
not  have  been  delivered  into  thy  hands.  Now,  how  can  we 
sing  before  thee  the  prayers  and  hymns  that  belong  only 
to  the  One  Eternal  God  ?  as  it  is  said,  “  How  should  we 
sing  the  song  of  the  Lord  on  the  soil  of  the  stranger  ?  }) 

Then  said  the  officers  of  the  captors,  “  These  men  are 
men  of  death  ;  they  refuse  to  obey  the  order  of  the  king  ; 
let  them  die.^ 

But  forth  stepped  Pelatya,  the  son  of  Yehoyadah,  and 
thus  he  addressed  Nebuchadnezzar  :  — 


362 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


<(  Behold,  if  a  flock  is  delivered  into  the  hands  of  a 
shepherd,  and  a  wolf  steals  a  lamb  from  the  flock,  tell  me, 
who  is  responsible  to  the  owner  of  the  lost  animal  ? ® 

<(  Surely  the  shepherd,®  replied  Nebuchadnezzar. 

<(Then  listen  to  thine  own  words,  ®  replied  Pelatya. 
<(  God  has  given  Israel  into  thy  hands ;  to  Him  art  thou 
responsible  for  those  who  are  slain. ® 

The  king  ordered  the  chains  to  be  removed  from  the 
captives,  and  they  were  not  put  to  death. 

Through  Kamtzah  and  Bar  Kamtzah  was  Jerusalem 
destroyed  ;  and  thus  it  happened. 

A  certain  man  made  a  feast ;  he  was  a  friend  of  Kamt¬ 
zah,  but  Bar  Kamtzah  he  hated.  He  sent  a  messenger  to 
Kamtzah  with  an  invitation  to  his  banquet,  but  this  mes¬ 
senger  making  a  mistake,  delivered  the  invitation  to  his 
master’s  enemy,  Bar  Kamtzah. 

Bar  Kamtzah  accepted  the  invitation,  and  was  on  hand 
at  the  appointed  time,  but  when  the  host  saw  his  enemy 
enter  his  house,  he  ordered  him  to  leave  at  once. 

(<Nay,))  said  Bar  Kamtzah,  <(  now  that  I  am  here,  do  not 
so  insult  me  as  to  send  me  forth.  I  will  pay  thee  for  all 
that  I  may  eat  and  drink.® 

(<  I  want  not  thy  money,  ®  returned  the  other,  <(  neither  do 
I  desire  thy  presence  ;  get  thee  gone  at  once. ® 

But  Bar  Kamtzah  persisted. 

<(  I  will  pay  the  entire  expense  of  thy  feast, ®  he  said; 
<(  do  not  let  me  be  degraded  in  the  eyes  of  thy  guests.  ® 
The  host  was  determined,  and  Bar  Kamtzah  withdrew 
from  the  banquet-room  in  anger. 

<(  Many  Rabbis  were  present, ®  said  he  in  his  heart,  (<  and 
not  one  of  them  interfered  in  my  behalf,  therefore  this  in¬ 
sult  which  they  saw  put  upon  me  must  have  pleased  them.® 
So  Bar  Kamtzah  spoke  treacherously  of  the  Jews  unto 
the  king,  saying,  (<  The  Jews  have  rebelled  against  thee.® 

(<  How  can  I  know  this  ?  ®  inquired  the  king. 

<(  Send  a  sacrifice  to  their  Temple  and  it  will  be  rejected,® 
replied  Bar  Kamtzah. 

The  ruler  then  sent  a  well-conditioned  calf  to  be  sacri¬ 
ficed  for  him  in  the  Temple,  but  through  the  machinations 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


363 


of  Bar  Kamtzah  the  messenger  inflicted  a  blemish  upon  it, 
and,  of  course,  not  being  fit  for  the  sacrifice  it  was  not 
accepted. 

Through  this  cause  was  Caesar  sent  to  capture  Jerusa¬ 
lem,  and  for  two  years  he  besieged  the  city.  Four 
wealthy  citizens  of  Jerusalem  had  stored  up  enough  food 
to  last  the  inhabitants  a  much  longer  time  than  this,  but 
the  people  being  anxious  to  fight  with  the  Romans,  de¬ 
stroyed  the  storehouses  and  brought  dire  famine  upon  the 
city. 

A  certain  noble  lady,  Miriam,  the  daughter  of  Baythus, 
sent  her  servant  to  purchase  some  flour  for  household 
use.  The  servant  found  that  all  the  flour  had  been  sold, 
but  there  was  still  some  meal  which  he  might  have  pur¬ 
chased.  Hurrying  home,  however,  to  learn  his  mistress’s 
wishes  in  regard  to  this,  he  discovered  on  his  return  that 
this  too  had  been  sold,  and  he  could  obtain  nothing  save 
some  coarse  barley  meal.  Not  wishing  to  purchase  this 
without  orders  he  returned  home  again,  but  when  he 
returned  to  the  storehouse  to  secure  the  barley  meal,  that 
was  gone  also.  Then  his  mistress  started  out  herself  to 
purchase  food,  but  she  could  find  nothing.  Suffering  from 
the  pangs  of  hunger  she  picked  from  the  street  the  skin  of 
a  fig  and  ate  it ;  this  sickened  her  and  she  died.  But 
previous  to  her  death  she  cast  all  her  gold  and  silver  into 
the  street,  saying,  (<What  use  is  this  wealth  to  me  when  I 
can  obtain  no  food  for  it  ? ”  Thus  were  the  words  of 
Kzekiel  fulfilled :  — 

(<  Their  silver  shall  they  cast  into  the  streets.  * 

After  the  destruction  of  the  storehouses,  Rabbi  Jochanan 
in  walking  through  the  city  saw  the  populace  boiling 
straw  in  water  and  drinking  of  the  same  for  sustenance. 

Ah,  woe  is  me  for  this  calamity  !  ”  he  exclaimed  ;  (<  how 
can  such  a  people  strive  against  a  mighty  host  ? ”  He  ap¬ 
plied  to  Ben  Batiach,  his  nephew,  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
city,  for  permission  to  leave  Jerusalem.  But  Ben  Batiach 
replied,  <(  It  may  not  be ;  no  living  body  may  leave  the 
city.”  (<Take  me  out  then  as  a  corpse,”  entreated  Joch¬ 
anan.  Ben  Batiach  assented  to  this,  and  Jochanan  was 
placed  in  a  coffin  and  carried  through  the  gates  of  the 


364 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


city  ;  Rabbi  Eleazer,  Rabbi  Joshua,  and  Ben  Batiach  act¬ 
ing  as  pall-bearers.  The  coffin  was  placed  in  a  cave,  and 
after  they  had  all  returned  to  their  homes  Jochanan  arose 
from  the  coffin  and  made  his  way  to  the  enemy’s  camp. 
He  obtained  from  the  commander  permission  to  establish 
an  academy  in  Jabna  with  Rabbon  Gamliel  as  the  principal. 

Titus  soon  captured  the  city,  killed  many  of  the  people, 
and  sent  the  others  into  exile.  He  entered  the  Temple, 
even  in  the  Most  Holy,  and  cut  down  the  veil  which  sep¬ 
arated  it  from  the  less  sacred  precincts.  He  seized  the 
holy  vessels,  and  sent  them  to  Rome. 

From  this  history  of  Kamtzah  and  Bar  Kamtzah  we 
should  learn  to  be  careful  of  offending  our  neighbors,  when 
in  so  slight  a  cause  such  great  results  may  originate.  Our 
Rabbis  have  said  that  he  who  causes  his  neighbor  to  blush 
through  an  insult,  should  be  compared  to  the  one  who 
sheds  blood. 


During  the  terrible  times  which  followed  the  fall  of 
the  Holy  City,  Hannah  and  her  seven  sons  were  cast  into 
prison. 

According  to  their  ages  they  were  brought  before  the 
tyrant  conqueror,  and  commanded  to  pay  homage  to  him 
and  his  gods. 

(<  God  forbid, ”  exclaimed  the  eldest  lad,  (<  that  I  should 
bow  to  thy  image.  Our  commandments  say  to  us,  ( I  am 
the  Eord  thy  God  ; >  to  no  other  will  I  bow. ” 

He  was  immediately  led  out  to  execution,  and  the  same 
demand  made  of  his  brother,  the  second  son. 

<(  My  brother  bowed  not,”  he  answered,  (<  and  no  more 
will  I.” 

<(  Wherefore  not  ?  ”  asked  the  tyrant. 

(<  Because,”  replied  the  lad,  (( the  second  commandment  of  the 
Decalogue  tells  us,  (  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  God  but  me. y  ” 

His  death  followed  immediately  his  brave  words. 

(<  My  religion  teaches  me,  *  Thou  shalt  worship  no  other 
God,”  said  the  third  son,  (<  and  I  welcome  the  fate  accorded 
to  my  brothers  rather  than  bow  to  thee  or  thy  images.” 

The  same  homage  was  demanded  of  the  fourth  son,  but 
brave  and  faithful  as  his  brethren,  he  replied,  (<  ( He  that 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


365 


sacrificeth  unto  any  God  save  unto  the  Lord  only, y  ”  and 
was  slain  pitilessly. 

<(<Hear,  O  Israel  !  the  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord  is  One/  * 
exclaimed  the  fifth  lad,  yielding  up  his  young  life  with  the 
watchword  of  Israel’s  hosts. 

<(  Wliy  art  thou  so  obstinate  ? ”  was  asked  of  the  sixth 
brother,  when  he,  too,  was  brought  before  the  tyrant  and 
scorned  the  propositions  made  him. 

. <(  (The  Lord  thy  God  is  in  the  midst  of  thee,  a  mighty 
and  terrible  God/  ”  he  said  ;  and  died  for  the  principles  he 
proclaimed. 

Then  the  seventh  and  youngest  boy  was  brought  before 
the  murderer  of  his  relatives,  who  addressed  him  kindly, 
saying  :  — 

(<  My  son,  come  bow  before  my  gods.” 

And  the  child  answered  :  — 

(<  God  forbid  !  Our  holy  religion  teaches  us  ( Know 
therefore  this  day,  and  reflect  in  thy  heart  that  the  Lord 
he  is  God,  in  the  heavens  above  and  on  the  earth  beneath 
there  is  none  else/  Never  will  we  exchange  our  God  for 
any  other,  neither  will  He  exchange  us  for  any  other  na¬ 
tion,  for  as  it  is  written,  ( Thou  hast  this  day  acknowl¬ 
edged  the  Lord/  so  is  it  also  written,  ( And  the  Lord  hath 
acknowledged  thee  this  day,  that  thou  art  unto  him  a  pe¬ 
culiar  people  !  y  ” 

Still  the  tyrant  spoke  smoothly,  and  with  kind  words. 

(<Thou  art  young,”  he  said;  (<  thou  hast  seen  but  little 
of  the  pleasures  and  joys  of  life,  not  as  much  as  has  fallen 
to  the  portion  of  thy  brethren.  Do  as  I  wish  thee  and 
thy  future  shall  be  bright  and  happy.” 

<(  The  Lord  will  reign  forever  and  ever,  ”  said  the  lad  ; 
<(  thy  nation  and  thy  kingdom  will  be  destroyed  ;  thou  art 
here  to-day,  to-morrow  in  the  grave ;  to-day  elevated, 
to-morrow  lowly ;  but  the  most  Holy  One  endures  for¬ 
ever.  ” 

“See,”  continued  the  other,  “thy  brothers  lie  slain  before 
thee  ;  their  fate  will  be  thine  if  thou  refusest  to  do  as  I 
desire.  See,  I  will  cast  my  ring  to  the  ground,  stoop  thou 
and  pick  it  up  ;  that  I  will  consider  allegiance  to  my 
gods.  ” 


366 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


(<  Thinkest  thou  that  I  fear  thy  threats  ?  *  returned  the 
unterrified  lad ;  <(  why  should  I  fear  a  human  being  more 
than  the  great  God,  the  King  of  kings?  55 

<(  Where  and  what  is  thy  God  ?  55  asked  the  oppressor. 
<(  Is  there  a  God  in  the  world  ?  55 

(<  Can  there  be  a  world  without  a  Creator  ? 55  replied  the 
youth.  (<  Of  thy  gods  ’tis  said,  ( mouths  they  have,  but 
speak  not. >  Of  our  God  the  Psalmist  says,  (  By  the  word 
of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made. >  Thy  gods  have  ( eyes 
but  see  not,5  but  ( the  eyes  of  the  Lord  run  to  and  fro  in 
the  whole  earth  !  5  Thy  gods  have  ( ears  but  hear  not, 5 
but  of  our  God  ’tis  written,  (The  Lord  hearkened  and 
heard.5  Of  thy  gods  ’tis  said,  (a  nose  they  have  but  smell 
not, 5  while  our  God  (  smelled  the  sweet  savor. 5  *  Hands 

have  th}'  gods  but  they  touch  not,5  while  our  God  says, 

(  My  hand  hath  also  founded  the  earth.5  Of  thy  gods  ’tis 
written,  *  feet  they  have  but  walk  not,5  while  Zachariah 
tells  us  of  our  God,  ( His  feet  will  stand  that  day  upon  the 
mount  of  Olives. 5  55 

Then  said  the  cruel  one  :  — 

(<  If  thy  God  hath  all  these  attributes,  why  does  He  not 
deliver  thee  from  my  power  ? 55 

The  lad  replied  :  — 

<(  He  delivered  Chananyah  and  his  companions  from  the 
power  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  but  they  were  righteous  men, 
and  Nebuchadnezzar  was  a  king  deserving  of  seeing  a  mir¬ 
acle  performed,  but  for  me,  alas,  I  am  not  worthy  of  re¬ 
demption,  neither  art  thou  worthy  of  a  demonstration  of 
God’s  power.55 

<(  Let  the  lad  be  slain  as  were  his  brothers, 55  commanded 
the  tyrant. 

Then  spoke  Hannah,  the  mother  of  the  boys:  — 

<(  Give  me  my  child,55  she  cried,  <(oh,  cruel  king,  let  me  fold 
him  in  my  arms  ere  thou  destroyest  his  innocent  young  life. 55 

She  threw  her  arms  around  the  lad,  clasping  him  tightly 
to  her  bosom,  and  pressing  her  lips  to  his.  “Take  my 
life,55  she  cried;  “kill  me  first  before  my  child.55 

<(  Nay, 55  he  answered,  scoffingly,  “I  cannot  do  it,  for  thy 
own  laws  forbid  ;  (  Whether  it  be  ox  or  sheep  ye  shall  not 
kill  it  and  its  young  in  one  day. 555 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


3  67 


(<Oh,  woe  to  thee,”  replied  the  mother,  <(  thou  who  art 
so  particular  to  regard  the  laws.”  Then  pressing  her  boy 
to  her  heart,  (<  Go,  my  dear  one,”  she  said,  <(  say  to  Abra¬ 
ham  that  my  sacrifice  hath  exceeded  his.  He  built  one 
altar  whereon  to  sacrifice  Isaac  ;  thy  mother  hath  built  seven 
altars  and  sacrificed  seven  Isaacs  in  one  day.  He  was  but 
tempted  ;  thy  mother  hath  performed.” 

After  the  execution  of  her  last  son,  Hannah  became  in¬ 
sane,  and  threw  herself  from  her  house-top.  Where  she 
fell,  she  expired. 

Happy  are  ye,  ye  seven  sons  of  Hannah  ;  your  portion 
in  the  future  world  was  waiting  for  you.  In  faithfulness 
ye  served  your  God,  and  with  her  children  shall  your 
mother  rejoice  forever  in  the  eternal  world. 

Moses  Maimonides,  one  of  the  greatest  of  Jewish  com¬ 
mentators,  and  a  descendant  of  Rabbi  Judah,  the  compiler 
of  the  Mishna,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Cordova,  Spain, 
March  30,  1135.  His  father  was  somewhat  advanced  in 
life  when  he  married,  and  it  is  said  that  he  entered  into 
the  conjugal  state  through  having  dreamed  several  suc¬ 
cessive  times  that  he  was  wedded  to  the  daughter  of  a 

butcher  in  his  neighborhood  ;  the  lady  whom  he  did  actu¬ 
ally  marry. 

Moses  was  the  only  child  of  this  lady,  who  died  shortly 
after  his  birth.  His  father  lamented  her  demise  for  about 
a  year,  and  then  married  again,  several  children  being  the 
result  of  this  second  union. 

Moses  displayed  no  love  for  study  in  his  youth  ;  a  fact 

which  grieved  his  father  much.  All  efforts  to  induce  him 

to  become  more  studious  failed  ;  his  brothers  called  him 
<(  the  butcher’s  boy,”  as  a  term  of  reproach  for  his  dullness  ; 
and  finally,  in  anger,  his  father  drove  him  from  his  home. 

While  traveling,  entirely  friendless,  Moses  fell  in  with  a 
learned  Rabbi,  and  admired  his  wisdom  and  knowledge  so 
much  that  he  resolved  to  study  zealously  and  emulate  such 
attainments. 

Many  years  after  this  a  new  preacher  was  announced  to 
lecture  in  the  synagogue,  at  Cordova,  upon  a  designated 
Sabbath.  Numerous  rumors  of  his  wonderful  learning  and 


368 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


eloquence  were  rife,  and  all  were  anxious  to  hear  him.  In 
matter,  delivery,  earnestness,  and  effect,  the  sermon  ex¬ 
celled  all  that  the  people  had  before  listened  to,  and  to  the 
amazement  of  Maimonides  the  elder,  and  his  sons,  they 
recognized  in  the  man  all  were  eager  to  honor,  their  out¬ 
cast  relative. 

The  first  commentary  of  Maimonides  is  upon  the  Mishna, 
and  it  concludes  with  these  words  :  — 

<(  I,  Moses,  the  son  of  Maymon,  commenced  this  com¬ 
mentary  when  twenty-three  years  of  age.  I  have  finished 
it  at  the  age  of  thirty  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  ® 

Maimonides  fled  from  Spain  to  Cairo,  in  Egypt,  from 
fanaticism  and  persecution.  There  he  studied  the  Greek 
and  Chaldaic  languages,  becoming  master  of  both  after 
seven  years’  attention.  His  fame  spread  through  the  coun¬ 
try.  His  scientific  standing  and  his  general  knowledge 
were  universally  recognized,  and  his  books  were  not  only 
valued  by  his  brethren  in  faith,  but  by  all  the  cultured 
and  enlightened  of  his  day. 

It  is  said  that  the  king  of  Egypt  appointed  him  as  one 
of  his  staff  of  physicians.  The  enlightened  men  of  the 
kingdom  were  divided  into  seven  grades,  each  grade  occu¬ 
pying  a  corresponding  position  near  the  throne  of  the  king 
on  state  occasions.  The  monarch  considered  Maimonides  so 
much  superior  to  the  others  that  he  made  for  him  a  special 
position.  This,  Moses,  a  modest  man,  declined.  The  other 
physicians,  however,  were  jealous  of  his  high  standing,  and 
being  unable  to  injure  him  openly,  they  endeavored  to  ac¬ 
complish  his  ruin  in  a  secret  manner. 

The  king  was  taken  very  sick,  and  Maimonides  attended 
him.  Taking  advantage  of  this,  the  physicians  put  poison 
in  the  draught  which  Moses  had  prepared  for  him,  and 
then  informed  the  king  that  the  latter  designed  his  death. 
To  prove  their  words,  they  gave  some  of  the  mixture  to  a 
dog,  and  the  animal  died. 

The  king  was  grieved  and  surprised,  and  Maimonides, 
struck  dumb  with  amazement,  was  unable  to  say  a  word. 

(<  Death  is  the  penalty  for  one  who  attempts  to  assas¬ 
sinate  his  ruler, >J  said  the  king.  <(  Choose  now  the  mode 
of  thy  punishment.  * 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


369 


Moses  asked  for  three  days  for  consideration,  which  the 
king  granted.  During  this  time  he  prepared  a  certain  mix¬ 
ture,  and  instructed  his  pupils  to  have  it  ready  and  apply 
it  according  to  his  directions,  when  he  should  be  brought 
home  senseless.  He  then  appeared  before  the  king,  and 
desired  to  have  his  veins  opened.  The  vital  artery  was 
missed,  as  he  had  anticipated,  and  the  result  was 
as  he  had  foreseen.  After  his  recovery,  he  fled  from 
Egypt,  taking  refuge  in  a  cave,  where  he  wrote  his  Yad 
Hazakah  (the  <(  Strong  Hand”),  consisting  of  fourteen 
divisions,  typified  by  the  word  Yad .  which  also  means 
fourteen. 

Maimonides  simplified  the  Talmudical  rules  and  tradi¬ 
tions,  making  them  clear  to  the  comprehension  of  all.  He 
was  the  author  of  an  exhaustive  work,  entitled,  Mishne 
Torah ,  the  <(  Second  Law,  which  was  eagerly  copied  and 
extensively  disseminated.  He  also  wrote  many  philosoph¬ 
ical  treatises  leveled  against  atheism,  and  designed  to  prove 
that  God  produced  the  world  from  naught,  and  at  the  age 
of  fifty  gave  to  the  world  his  great  work,  Moreh  Nebuchim 
(((  Guide  of  the  Perplexed  ”),  to  which  Rabbi  Judah  Charizi 
added  an  appendix. 

Maimonides  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  and  his  re¬ 
mains  were  interred  at  Cairo,  Egypt.  Both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  mourned  his  loss.  The  lamentation  in  Jerusalem 
was  intense,  a  fast  was  declared,  the  synagogues  were 
opened,  and  a  portion  of  the  law  (Eevit.  25  :  12  to  end), 
and  the  fifth  chapter  of  Samuel  1,  were  made  parts  of  the 
service  of  the  day. 


During  the  reign  of  one  of  the  bishops  in  Metz,  there 
lived  a  Jew  in  that  city,  who  was  called  Rabbi  Amnon. 
He  was  of  illustrious  family,  of  great  personal  merit,  rich 
and  respected  by  the  Bishop  and  the  people.  The  Bishop 
frequently  pressed  him  to  abjure  Judaism  and  embrace 
Christianity,  but  without  the  slightest  avail.  It  happened, 
however,  upon  a  certain  day,  being  more  closely  pressed 
than  usual,  and  somewhat  anxious  to  be  rid  of  the  Bishop’s 
importunities,  he  said  hastily,  <(  I  will  consider  the  subject, 
and  give  thee  an  answer  in  three  days.” 

24 


37o 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


As  soon  as  he  had  left  the  Bishop’s  presence,  however, 
his  heart  smote  him,  and  an  unquiet  conscience  blamed 
him  for  admitting,  even  in  this  manner,  a  doubt  of  the  true 
faith.  He  reached  home  overwhelmed  wTith  grief ;  meat 
was  set  before  him,  but  he  refused  to  eat ;  and  when  his 
friends  visited  him  and  ascertained  the  cause  of  his  low 
spirits,  he  refused  their  proffered  consolation,  saying,  “  I 
shall  go  down  mourning  to  the  grave  for  these  words. ” 
On  the  third  day,  while  he  was  still  lamenting  his  impru¬ 
dent  concession,  the  Bishop  sent  for  him,  but  he  refused  to 
answer  the  call. 

Having  refused  several  of  the  Bishop’s  messengers,  they 
were  finally  ordered  to  seize  him,  and  bring  him  by  force 
before  the  prelate. 

^Amnon,®  said  the  Bishop,  “why  didst  thou  not  come  to 
me,  according  to  thy  promise,  to  inform  me  of  thy  decision 
in  regard  to  my  request  ?  * 

“Let  me,®  answered  Amnon,  “pronounce  my  own  doom 
for  this  neglect.  Let  my  tongue,  which  uttered  those 
hasty,  doubting  words,  be  cut  out ;  a  lie  I  uttered,  for  I 
never  intended  to  consider  the  proposition.  ” 

“Nay,”  said  the  Bishop,  “I  will  not  cut  out  thy  tongue, 
but  thy  feet  which  refused  to  come  to  me,  shall  be  cut  off, 
and  the  other  parts  of  thy  obstinate  body  shall  be  also 
punished  and  tormented.” 

Under  the  Bishop’s  eye  and  order,  the  toes  and  thumbs 
of  Rabbi  Amnon  were  then  cut  off,  and  after  having  been 
severely  tortured,  he  was  sent  home  in  a  carriage,  his  man¬ 
gled  members  beside  him. 

Rabbi  Amnon  bore  all  this  with  the  greatest  resignation, 
firmly  hoping  and  trusting  that  this  earthly  torment  would 
plead  his  pardon  with  God. 

His  life  after  this  was  of  course  to  be  measured  only  by 
days.  The  Feast  of  the  New  Year  came  round,  while  he 
was  living,  and  he  desired  to  be  carried  to  the  synagogue. 
He  was  conveyed  to  the  house  of  God,  and  during  the 
service  he  requested  to  be  allowed  to  utter  a  prayer.  The 
words  which  proved  to  be  his  last  were  as  follows  :  — 

<(  I  will  declare  the  mighty  holiness  of  this  day,  for  it  is 
awful  and  tremendous.  Thy  kingdom  is  exalted  thereon ; 


PROVERBIAL  SAYINGS 


37* 


Thy  throne  is  established  in  mercy,  and  upon  it  Thou  dost 
rest  in  truth.  Thou  art  the  Judge,  who  chastiseth,  and 
from  Thee  naught  may  be  concealed.  Thou  bearest  witness, 
writest,  sealest,  recordest,  and  rememberest  all  things,  aye, 
those  which  we  imagine  long  buried  in  the  past.  The 
Book  of  Records  thou  openest ;  the  great  shophar  (cornet) 
is  sounded ;  even  the  angels  are  terrified,  and  they  cry 
aloud,  ( The  Day  of  Judgment  dawns  upon  us/  for  in 
judgment  they,  the  angels,  are  not  faultless. 

<(  All  who  have  entered  the  world  pass  before  Thee, 
Even  as  the  shepherd  causes  the  flock  he  numbers  to  pass 
under  his  crook,  so  Thou,  O  Lord,  causest  every  living 
soul  to  pass  before  Thee.  Thou  numberest,  Thou  visitest  ; 
appointing  the  limitations  of  every  creature,  Thy  judgment 
and  Thy  sentence. 

<(  On  the  New  Year  it  is  written,  on  the  Day  of  Atone¬ 
ment  it  is  sealed.  Aye,  all  Thy  decrees  are  recorded. 
Who  is  to  live  and  who  to  die.  The  names  of  those  to 
meet  death  by  fire,  by  water,  or  by  the  sword ;  through 
hunger,  through  thirst,  and  with  the  pestilence.  All  is  re¬ 
corded.  Those  who  are  to  have  tranquillity,  those  who  are 
to  be  disturbed.  Those  who  are  to  be  troubled,  those  who 
are  to  be  blessed  with  repose.  Those  who  are  to  be  pros¬ 
perous,  those  for  whom  affliction  is  in  store.  Those  who 
are  to  become  rich,  who  poor ;  who  exalted,  who  cast 
down ;  but  penitence,  prayer,  and  charity,  O  Lord,  may 
avert  all  evil  decrees.  ® 

When  he  had  finished  this  declaration,  in  which  he  de¬ 
signed  to  acknowledge  his  sin  and  the  justice  of  his  pun¬ 
ishment,  Rabbi  Amnon  expired,  dying  fitly  in  God’s  house, 
among  the  assembled  sons  of  Israel. 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


Passover 

The  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  or  (<  Passover,”  begins 
upon  the  evening  of  the  14th  day  of  Nissan  (April), 
and  was  instituted  in  commemoration  of  our  ances¬ 
tors’  redemption  from  Egypt,  a  memorial  forever.  During 
its  continuance  we  are  strictly  forbidden  the  use  of  any 
leavened  thing. 

Moses  said  to  the  Israelites  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  — 
(<  Draw  out  and  take  for  yourselves  a  lamb,  ”  etc. 

By  the  observance  of  this  precept  they  would  deserve  well 
of  God  and  He  would  redeem  them,  for  when  He  spoke 
they  were  (<  naked  and  bare  ”  of  good  deeds  and  meritori¬ 
ous  acts. 

<(  Draw  out  and  take  for  yourselves  a  lamb. ” 

Draw  yourselves  away  from  the  idols  which  ye  are  wor¬ 
shiping  with  the  Egyptians,  the  calves  and  lambs  of  stone 
and  metal,  and  with  one  of  the  same  animals  through  which 
ye  sin,  prepare  to  fulfill  the  commandments  of  your  God. 

The  planet  sign  of  the  month  Nissan  is  a  lamb ;  there¬ 
fore,  that  the  Egyptians  might  not  think  that  through  the 
powers  of  the  lamb  they  had  thrown  off  the  yoke  of  slav¬ 
ery,  God  commanded  His  people  to  take  a  lamb  and  eat  it. 

They  were  commanded  to  roast  it  whole  and  to  break  no 
bone  of  it,  so  that  the  Egyptians  might  know  that  it  was 
indeed  a  lamb  which  they  had  consumed. 

The  Lord  said  to  Moses,  (<  Tell  the  children  of  Israel  that 
they  shall  borrow  of  the  Egyptians  gold  and  silver  vessels,  ” 
in  order  that  it  might  not  be  afterward  said,  <(  The  words 
‘they  will  make  them  serve,  and  they  will  afflict  them/  were 
fulfilled  :  but  the  words  ‘ they  shall  go  out  with  great  sub¬ 
stance/  did  not  come  to  pass.” 


(373) 


374 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


When  Moses  told  the  Israelites  that  they  should  go  up 
out  of  Egypt  with  great  substance,  they  answered,  <(  Would 
that  we  could  go  even  empty-handed,  *  like  to  the  servant 
confined  in  prison. 

(<  To-morrow, ”  said  the  jailer  to  him,  (<  I  will  release  thee 
from  prison,  and  give  thee  much  money. ” 

(<  Eet  me  go  to-day,  and  give  me  nothing,  ”  replied  the 

prisoner. 

On  the  seventh  day  of  the  Passover  the  children  of  Israel 
passed  through  the  Red  Sea  on  dry  land. 

A  man  was  once  traveling  along  the  road  and  his  son 
preceded  him  on  the  way.  A  robber  appeared  in  the  path, 
and  the  man  put  his  son  behind  him.  Then  lo,  a  wolf  came 
after  the  lad,  and  his  father  lifted  him  up  and  carried  him 
within  his  arms. 

The  sea  was  before  the  Israelites,  the  Egyptians  were 
behind  them,  so  God  lifted  up  His  child  and  carried  it 
within  Plis  arms. 

When  Israel  suffered  from  the  hot  rays  of  the  sun  God 
<(  spread  the  cloud  for  a  covering  ; ”  when  they  were  hungry 
He  sent  them  bread  from  heaven  ;  and  when  they  thirsted 
<(  He  brought  forth  floods  from  a  rock.” 


Pentecost 

The  Feast  of  Weeks,  or  <(  Pentecost,”  occurs  upon  the 
sixth  day  of  the  third  month,  Sivan  (June).  It  is  called 
the  Feast  of  Weeks  because  forty-nine  days,  or  seven  weeks, 
duly  numbered,  elapse  between  the  second  day  of  Passover, 
when  (during  the  existence  of  the  Temple)  a  sheaf  of  green 
barley  was  offered,  and  this  festival,  when  two  loaves  made 
of  the  first  flour  of  the  wheat  harvest  were  <(  brought  before 
the  Lord.”  It  is  also  the  anniversary  of  the  delivery  of 
the  commandment  from  Mount  Sinai. 

Why  does  not  the  Bible  particularize  in  this  as  on  other 
occasions,  and  say  directly,  (<On  the  sixth  day  of  the  third 
month  was  the  law  given  ?  ” 

Because  in  ancient  times  the  men  called  <(  wise  ”  placed 
their  faith  and  dependence  upon  the  planets.  They  divided 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


375 


these  into  seven,  apportioning  one  to  each  day  of  the 
week.  Some  nations  selected  for  their  greatest  god  the  sun, 
other  nations  the  moon,  and  so  on,  and  prayed  to  them  and 
worshiped  them.  They  knew  not  that  the  planets  moved 
and  changed  according  to  the  course  of  nature,  established 
by  the  Most  High,  a  course  which  He  might  change  ac¬ 
cording  to  His  will,  and  into  their  ignorant  ideas  many  of 
the  Israelites  had  entered.  Therefore,  as  they  considered 
the  planets  as  seven,  God  made  many  other  things  depend¬ 
ing  on  that  number,  to  show  that  as  He  made  them,  so 
had  He  made  the  planets. 

The  seventh  day  of  the  week  He  made  the  Sabbath  ;  the 
seventh  year  he  made  the  year  of  rest ;  after  seven  times 
seven  years,  or  after  seven  Sabbatical  years,  He  ordained 
the  Jubilee,  or  year  of  release.  Seven  days  He  gave  to  the 
Passover  festival,  and  seven  days  to  the  Feast  of  Taber¬ 
nacles.  Seven  days  was  Jericho  surrounded,  and  seven 
priests  took  seven  trumpets  and  marched  round  its  walls 
seven  times  upon  the  seventh  day. 

Therefore,  after  numbering  seven  weeks  during  the  ripen¬ 
ing  time  of  the  grain,  the  Israelites  were  to  hold  a  holy 
convocation,  to  praise  the  One  who  can  prevent  all  things, 
but  who  cannot  be  prevented  ;  who  can  change  all  things, 
but  is  unchangeable. 

The  first  day  the  Israelites  were  redeemed  from  slavery 
and  superstition  ;  the  fiftieth  day  a  law  was  given  them  for 
their  guide  through  life  ;  therefore  they  are  commanded  to 
number  these  days  and  remember  them. 

The  children  of  Ishmael,  says  the  legend,  were  asked  to 
accept  the  law.  What  does  it  contain  ? ”  they  asked. 
<(Thou  shalt  not  steal,”  was  the  answer.  (<  How  can  we 
then  accept  it,”  they  returned,  (<when  thus  was  our  fore¬ 
father  blessed,  (Thy  hand  shall  be  against  every  man?  >)> 

The  children  of  Esau  were  asked  to  accept  the  law,  and 
they  also  inquired,  (<  What  does  it  contain?”  (<Thou  shalt 
not  kill,”  was  the  answer.  (<  We  cannot  accept  it,  then,” 
said  they,  <(  for  thus  did  our  father  Isaac  bless  us,  (  By  the 
sword  shalt  thou  live.  y  ” 

When  Israel  was  asked  to  accept  the  law,  the  people 
answered,  ((We  will  do  and  obey.” 


376 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


New  Year,  or  the  Day  of  Memoriae 

On  the  first  day  of  the  seventh  month,  Tishri  (October), 
is  the  commemoration  of  the  creation  of  the  world.  Then 
the  cornet  is  blown  to  announce  to  the  people  that  a  new 
year  has  begun  its  course,  and  to  warn  them  to  examine 
strictly  their  conduct  and  make  amends  therein  where 
amends  are  needed. 

Would  not  any  person  of  sense,  knowing  that  he  must 
appear  before  a  Court  of  Judgment,  prepare  himself  there¬ 
for?  Either  in  a  civil  or  a  criminal  case  would  he  not 
seek  for  counsel?  How  much  more,  then,  is  it  incumbent 
upon  him  to  prepare  for  a  meeting  with  the  King  of 
kings,  before  whom  all  things  are  revealed.  No  counsel 
can  help  him  in  his  case ;  repentance,  devotion,  charity, 
these  are  the  arguments  which  must  plead  in  his  favor. 
Therefore,  a  person  should  search  his  actions  and  repent 
his  transgressions  previous  to  the  day  of  judgment.  In 
the  month  of  Elul  (September)  he  should  arouse  himself 
to  a  consciousness  of  the  dread  justice  awaiting  all  man¬ 
kind. 

This  is  the  season  when  the  Eord  pardoned  the  Israel¬ 
ites  who  had  worshiped  the  molten  calf.  He  commanded 
Moses  to  reascend  the  mount  for  a  second  tablet,  after  he 
had  destroyed  the  first.  Thus  say  the  sages,  (<  The  Eord 
said  unto  Moses  in  the  month  Elul ,  ( Go  up  unto  me 
on  the  mountain/  and  Moses  went  up  and  received  the 
second  tablet  at  the  end  of  forty  days.  Before  he  as¬ 
cended  he  caused  the  trumpet  to  be  sounded  through  the 
camp. Since  that  time  it  is  customary  to  sound  the 
shophar  (cornet)  in  the  synagogues,  to  give  warning  to 
the  people  that  the  day  of  judgment,  New  Year,  is  rapidly 
approaching,  and  with  it  the  Day  of  Atonement.  There¬ 
fore,  propitiatory  prayers  are  said  twice  every  day,  morn¬ 
ing  and  evening,  from  the  second  day  of  Elul  until  the 
eve  of  the  Day  of  Atonement,  which  period  comprises  the 
last  forty  days  which  Moses  passed  on  Sinai,  when  God 
was  reconciled  to  Israel  and  pardoned  their  transgressions 
with  the  molten  calf. 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


377 


Rabbi  Eleazer  said,  (<  Abraham  and  Jacob  were  born  in 
Tishri ,  and  in  Tishri  they  died.  On  the  first  of  Tishri 
the  universe  was  created,  and  during  the  Passover  was 
Isaac  born.  On  the  first  of  Tishri  (New  Year),  Sarah, 
Rachel,  and  Hannah,  three  barren  women,  were  visited. 
On  the  first  day  of  Tishri  our  ancestors  discontinued  their 
rigorous  labor  in  Egypt.  On  the  first  of  Tishri  Adam  was 
created  ;  from  his  existence  we  count  our  years,  that  is  the 
sixth  day  of  the  creation.  On  that  day,  too,  did  he  eat  of 
the  forbidden  fruit,  therefore  is  the  season  appointed  for 
one  of  penitence,  for  the  Eord  said  to  Adam,  ( This  shall 
be  for  a  sign  in  future  generations  ;  thy  descendants  shall 
be  judged  upon  these  days,  and  they  shall  be  appointed  as 
days  of  pardon  and  forgiveness.*  * 

Four  times  in  the  year  the  Eord  pronounces  His  de¬ 
crees. 

First,  New  Year,  the  first  of  Tishri.  Then  the  judg¬ 
ments  of  all  human  beings  for  the  coming  year  are  or¬ 
dained. 

Second,  The  first  day  of  Passover.  Then  the  scarcity  or 
fullness  of  the  crops  is  determined. 

Third,  Pentecost.  Then  the  Eord  blesses  the  fruit  of  the 
trees,  or  bids  them  bear  not  in  plenty. 

Fourth,  The  Feast  of  Tabernacles.  Then  the  Eord  deter¬ 
mines  whether  the  rain  shall  bless  the  earth  in  its  due 
season  or  not. 

Man  is  judged  on  New  Year’s  and  the  decree  is  made 
final  on  the  Day  of  Atonement. 

Rabbi  Nathan  has  said  that  man  is  judged  at  all  times. 

Thus  taught  Rabbi  Akiba.  Why  does  the  law  com¬ 
mand  the  bringing  of  a  sheaf  of  barley  on  the  Passover? 
Because  the  Passover  is  the  season  of  the  harvest  of  the 
grain.  The  Lord  says,  (  Offer  for  me  a  sheaf  of  barley  on 
Passover,  that  I  may  bless  the  grain  which  is  in  the 
field. ) 

<(  Why  does  the  Bible  say,  (  Bring  two  loaves  of  the  new 
wheat  on  Pentecost  ?  *  Because  at  Pentecost  time  the  fruit 
ripens,  and  God  says,  ( Offer  for  me  two  loaves  of  the  new 
wheat,  in  order  that  I  may  bless  the  fruit  which  is  on  the 
trees. * 


378 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


<(  Why  were  we  commanded  to  bring  a  drink-offering  of 
water  into  the  Temple  on  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles?  Be¬ 
cause  then  is  the  season  of  rain,  and  the  Lord  says, 
<  Bring  the  drink-offering  of  water  to  me,  in  order  that  I 
may  bless  the  rain  of  the  year. y 

<(  Why  do  they  make  the  cornet  which  they  blow  of  a 
ram’s  horn  ?  In  order  that  the  Lord  may  remember  the 
ram  which  was  sacrificed  instead  of  Isaac,  and  allow  the 
merits  of  the  patriarchs  to  weigh  in  favor  of  their  de¬ 
scendants,  as  it  is  written  in  the  Decalogue,  ( Showing 
mercy  to  thousands  of  those  who  love  me  and  keep  my 
commandments.*  * 

On  New  Year’s  day  they  recite  in  the  synagogues  the 
record  of  the  binding  of  Isaac  for  the  same  purpose.  While 
God  has  mercy  upon  His  creatures  He  gives  them  a  season 
for  repentance,  that  they  may  not  perish  in  their  wicked¬ 
ness,  therefore  as  it  is  written  in  Lamentations  3  :  40,  we 
should  <(  search  through  and  investigate  our  ways  and 
return  unto  the  Lord.” 

During  the  year  man  is  apt  to  grow  callous  as  to  his 
transgressions,  therefore  the  cornet  is  sounded  to  arouse 
him  to  the  consciousness  of  the  time  which  is  passing  so 
rapidly  away.  <(  Rouse  thee  from  thy  sleep,”  it  says  to 
him  ;  (( the  hour  of  thy  visitation  approaches.  ”  The  Eternal 
wishes  not  to  destroy  His  children,  merely  to  arouse  them 
to  repentance  and  good  resolves. 

Three  classes  of  people  are  arraigned  for  judgment :  the 
righteous,  the  wicked,  and  the  indifferent.  To  the  right¬ 
eous  the  Lord  awards  a  happy  life ;  the  wicked  He  con¬ 
demns,  and  to  the  indifferent  ones  He  grants  a  respite. 
From  New  Year’s  day  until  the  Day  of  Atonement  His 
judgment  He  holds  in  abeyance ;  if  they  repent  truly  they 
are  classed  with  the  righteous  for  a  happy  life,  and  if  they 
remain  untouched,  they  are  counted  with  the  wicked. 

Three  sounds  for  the  cornet  are  commanded  in  the  Bible. 
A  pure  sound  ( T'kiah ),  a  sound  of  alarm  or  trembling 
( T'ruah),  and,  thirdly,  a  pure  sound  again  (T’kzak). 

The  first  sound  typifies  man’s  first  awakening  to  peni¬ 
tence  ;  he  must  search  well  his  heart,  desert  his  evil  ways, 
and  purify  his  thoughts,  as  it  is  written,  <(  Let  the  wicked 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


379 


forsake  his  ways  and  the  man  of  unrighteousness  his 
thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord.” 

The  alarm  sound  typifies  the  sorrow  which  a  repentant 
man  feels  for  his  misconduct  and  his  earnest  determination 
to  reform. 

The  last  sound  is  the  pure  sound  again,  which  typifies  a 
sincere  resolve  to  keep  the  repentant  heart  incorrupt. 

The  Bible  says  to  us :  — 

<(The  word  is  very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth  and  in 
thy  heart,  that  thou  mayest  do  it.”  This  verse  teaches  us 
that  repentance  is  nearer  to  those  who  believe  in  God  and 
His  book  than  fanatics  would  make  it.  Difficult  penances 
are  ordained  for  the  sinner  among  them.  He  must  fast 
many  days,  or  travel  barefoot  through  rugged  ways,  or 
sleep  in  the  open  air.  But  we  are  not  required  to  travel 
to  the  nether  end  of  the  ocean  or  to  climb  to  mountain 
tops,  for  our  Holy  Word  says  to  us,  <(  It  is  not  in  heaven, 
neither  is  it  beyond  the  sea,  but  the  Word  is  very  nigh.” 

In  three  ways  may  we  repent :  — 

First,  By  words  of  mouth,  finding  birth  in  an  honest  heart. 

Secondly,  With  our  feelings,  sorrow  for  sins  committed. 

Thirdly,  By  good  deeds  in  the  future. 

Rabbi  Saadiah  declared  that  God  commanded  us  to  sound 
the  cornet  on  New  Year’s  day  for  ten  reasons. 

First,  Because  this  day  is  the  beginning  of  the  creation, 
when  God  began  to  reign  over  the  world,  and  as  it  is  cus¬ 
tomary  to  sound  the  trumpets  at  the  coronation  of  a  king, 
we  should  in  like  manner  proclaim  by  the  sound  of  the 
cornet  that  the  Creator  is  our  king, —  as  David  said,  <(With 
trumpets  and  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  shout  ye  before  the 
Lord.  ” 

Secondly,  As  the  New  Year  day  is  the  first  of  the  ten 
penitential  days,  we  sound  the  cornet  as  a  proclamation  to 
admonish  all  to  return  to  God  and  repent.  If  they  do  not 
so,  they  at  least  have  been  informed,  and  cannot  plead 
ignorance.  Thus  we  find  that  earthly  kings  publish  their 
decrees  with  such  concomitant,  that  none  may  say,  <(  We 
heard  not  this.” 

Thirdly,  To  remind  us  of  the  law  given  on  Mount  Sinai, 
where  it  is  said,  <(  The  voice  of  the  cornet  was  exceeding 


380 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


loud.”  To  remind  us  also  that  we  should  bind  ourselves 
anew  to  the  performance  of  its  precepts,  as  did  our  ances¬ 
tors,  when  they  said,  (<  All  that  the  Lord  hath  said  will  we 
do  and  obey.” 

Fourthly,  To  remind  us  of  the  prophets,  who  were  com¬ 
pared  to  watchmen  blowing  the  trumpet  of  alarm,  as  we  find 
in  Ezekiel,  (<  Whosoever  heareth  the  sound  of  the  cornet 
and  taketh  not  warning,  and  the  sound  cometh  and  taketh 
him  away,  his  blood  shall  be  upon  his  own  head  ;  but  he 
that  taketh  warning  shall  save  his  life.” 

Fifthly,  To  remind  us  of  the  destruction  of  the  Temple 
and  the  fearsome  sound  of  the  battle-cry  of  our  enemies. 
<(  Because  thou  hast  heard,  oh  my  soul,  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  the  alarm  of  war.”  Therefore  when  we  hear  the 
sound  of  the  cornet  we  should  implore  God  to  rebuild 
the  Temple. 

Sixthly,  To  remind  us  of  the  binding  of  Isaac,  who  will¬ 
ingly  offered  himself  for  immolation,  in  order  to  sanctify  the 
Holy  Name. 

Seventhly,  That  when  we  hear  the  terrifying  sound,  we 
may,  through  dread,  humble  ourselves  before  the  Supreme 
Being,  for  it  is  the  nature  of  these  martial  instruments  to 
produce  a  sensation  of  terror,  as  the  prophet  Amos  observes, 
<(  Shall  a  trumpet  be  blown  in  a  city,  and  the  people  not  to 
be  terrified  ?  ” 

Eightly,  To  remind  us  of  the  great  and  terrible  Day  of 
Judgment,  on  which  the  trumpet  is  to  be  sounded,  as 
we  find  in  Zeph. ,  <(  The  great  day  of  the  Lord  is  near, 
and  hasteneth  much,  a  day  of  the  trumpet  and  of  shout¬ 
ing.” 

Ninthly,  To  remind  us  to  pray  for  the  time  when  the 
outcasts  of  Israel  are  to  be  gathered  together,  as  promised 
in  Isaiah,  (<  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  the 
great  trumpet  shall  be  sounded,  and  those  shall  come  who 
were  perishing  in  the  land  of  Assyria.” 

Tenthly,  To  remind  us  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
and  our  firm  belief  therein.  <(  Yea,  all  ye  that  inhabit  the 
world,  and  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  when  the  standard  is 
lifted  upon  the  mountain,  behold,  and  when  the  trumpet  is 
sounded,  hear  !  ”  says  the  prophet  Isaiah. 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


381 


Therefore  should  we  set  our  hearts  to  these  seasons,  and 
fulfill  the  precept  that  the  Bible  commands  us,  as  it  is 
written  :  — 

<(  And  the  Lord  commanded  us  to  do  all  the  statutes 
.  .  .  that  it  might  be  well  with  us  at  all  times.  ” 


The  Day  of  Atonement 

The  hearts  of  all  who  fear  God  should  tremble  with  the 
reflection  that  all  the  deeds  of  the  creature  are  known  to 
the  Creator,  and  will  be  by  Him  accounted  to  them  for 
good  or  evil.  God  is  ready  at  all  times  to  acknowledge 
true  penitence  ;  and  of  repentance  there  are  seven  degrees : 

First,  the  righteous  man,  who  repents  his  misconduct  as 
soon  as  he  becomes  aware  of  his  sin.  This  is  the  best  and 
most  complete. 

Secondly,  Of  the  man  who  has  for  some  time  led  a  life 
of  sin,  yet  who,  in  the  vigor  of  his  days,  gives  over  his 
evil  ways  and  conquers  his  wrong  inclinations.  As  Solomon 
has  said,  *  Remember  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy 
youthful  vigor.”  While  in  the  prime  of  life  abandon  thy 
evil  ways. 

Thirdly,  Of  the  one  who  was  prevented  by  some  cause 
from  the  commission  of  a  contemplated  sin,  and  who  truly 
repents  his  evil  intention.  <(  Happy  is  the  man  who 
fears  the  Lord,”  said  the  Psalmist.  The  man,  not  the 
woman  ?  Aye,  all  mankind.  The  word  is  used  to  denote 
strength ;  those  who  repent  while  still  in  their  youth. 

Fourthly,  of  the  one  who  repents  when  his  sin  is  pointed 
out  to  him,  and  he  is  rebuked  for  the  same,  as  in  the  in¬ 
stance  of  the  inhabitants  of  Nineveh.  They  repented  not 
until  Jonah  proclaimed  to  them,  (<  Yet  forty  days  more,  and 
Nineveh  shall  be  overthrown.”  The  men  of  Nineveh  be¬ 
lieved  in  God’s  mercy,  and  though  the  decree  had  been  pro¬ 
nounced  against  them,  yet  they  repented.  (( And  God  saw 
their  work,  that  they  had  returned  from  their  evil  ways, 
and  God  bethought  Himself  of  the  evil  which  He  had 
spoken  that  He  would  do  to  them,  and  He  did  it  not.” 
Therefore  say  the  Rabbis,  <(  Our  brethren,  neither  sackcloth 


3^2 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


nor  fasting  will  gain  forgiveness  for  sins ;  but  repentance 
of  the  heart  and  good  deeds ;  for  it  is  not  said  of  the  men 
of  Nineveh,  <(  God  saw  their  fasting  and  sackcloth, *  but 
“  God  saw  their  work,  that  they  had  turned  from  their  evil 
ways. ” 

Fifthly,  Of  those  who  repent  when  trouble  befalls  them. 
How  much  nobler  is  this  than  human  nature  !  Instance 
Jephtah  :  “  Did  ye  not  hate  me  .  .  .  and  why  are  ye 

come  unto  me  now  when  you  are  in  distress  ?  *  But  the  in¬ 
finite  mercy  of  our  God  accepts  even  such  repentance ;  as  it 
is  written,  “When  thou  art  in  tribulation,  and  all  these 
things  have  overtaken  thee  .  .  .  then  wilt  thou  return 

unto  the  Lord  thy  God.”  Founded  upon  this  is  the  proverb 
of  the  fathers,  “  Repentance  and  good  deeds  form  a  shield 
against  punishment.” 

Sixthly,  The  repentance  of  age.  Even  when  man  grows 
old  and  feeble,  if  he  repents  truly,  his  atonement  will  be 
received.  As  the  Psalmist  says,  “Thou  turnest  man  to 
contrition,  and  sayest,  ( Return,  ye  children  of  men.*” 
Meaning,  man  can  return  at  any  time  or  any  age,  “  Re¬ 
turn,  ye  children  of  men.” 

Say  the  Rabbis,  “Although  a  man  has  been  righteous  in 
his  youth  and  vigor,  yet  if  he  rebels  against  the  will  of 
God  in  his  old  age,  the  merit  of  his  former  goodness  shall 
be  lost  to  him,  as  it  is  written,  ( When  a  righteous  man 
turns  away  from  his  righteousness  and  doeth  wrong,  and 
dieth  therefor ;  through  his  wrong  which  he  hath  done 
must  he  die. >  But  a  man  who  has  been  wicked  in  his 
early  days,  and  feels  true  sorrow  and  pentinence  in  his  old 
age,  shall  not  be  called  * wicked >  any  more.  This,  how¬ 
ever,  is  not  gracious  penitence  when  it  is  so  long  delayed.” 

Seventhly,  Is  the  last  degree  of  penitence.  Of  the  one 
who  is  rebellious  against  his  Creator  during  all  the  days  of 
his  life  ;  turns  to  Him  only  when  the  hand  of  death  is  laid 
upon  him. 

Say  the  Rabbis,  if  a  person  is  sick,  and  the  hour  of  his 
decease  approaches,  they  who  are  by  his  deathbed  should 
say  to  him,  “Confess  thy  sins  to  thy  Creator.” 

They  who  are  near  the  point  of  death  should  confess 
their  shortcomings.  The  sick  man  is  as  the  man  who  is 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


383 


before  a  court  of  justice.  The  latter  may  have  advocates 
to  defend  him  or  laud  his  case,  but  the  only  advocates  of 
the  former  must  be  penitence  and  good  deeds.  As  is  writ¬ 
ten  in  the  Book  of  Job,  (<  If  there  be  now  about  him  one 
single  angel  as  defender,  one  out  of  a  thousand,  to  tell  for 
man  his  uprightness ;  then  is  he  gracious  unto  him,  and 
saith,  ( Release  him  from  going  down  to  the  pit  ;  I  have 
found  an  atonement.*  }) 

Thus  we  have  seven  different  degrees  of  penitence,  and 
he  who  neglects  them  all  must  suffer  in  the  world  to  come. 
Therefore  fulfill  the  duties  laid  upon  you  ;  repent  as  long 
as  you  are  able  to  amend.  As  the  Rabbis  say,  <(  Repent 
in  the  antechamber,  that  thou  mayest  enter  the  room  of 
state. * 

(<  Turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil  ways  ;  wherefore  will 
ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel  ! **  exclaimed  the  prophet  Ezekiel ; 
and  what  does  this  warning  mean?  without  repentance  ye 
shall  die. 


Penitence  is  thus  illustrated  by  a  parable  :  — 

There  was  once  a  great  ship  which  had  been  sailing  for 
many  days  upon  the  ocean.  Before  it  reached  its  destina¬ 
tion,  a  high  wind  arose,  which  drove  it  from  its  course  ; 
until,  finally,  becalmed  close  to  a  pleasant-appearing  island, 
the  anchor  was  dropped.  There  grew  upon  this  island 
beautiful  flowers  and  luscious  fruits  in  (<  great  profusion  **  ; 
tall  trees  lent  a  pleasing,  cooling  shade  to  the  place,  which 
appeared  to  the  ship’s  passengers  most  desirable  and  invit¬ 
ing.  They  divided  themselves  into  five  parties ;  the  first 
party  determined  not  to  leave  the  ship,  for  said  they,  <(  A 
fair  wind  may  arise,  the  anchor  may  be  raised,  and  the 
ship  sail  on,  leaving  us  behind  ;  wTe  will  not  risk  the  chance 
of  missing  our  destination  for  the  temporary  pleasure  which 
this  island  offers.  ®  The  second  party  went  on  shore  for  a 
short  time,  enjoyed  the  perfume  of  the  flowers,  tasted  of 
the  fruit,  and  returned  to  the  ship  happy  and  refreshed, 
finding  their  places  as  they  had  left  them  ;  losing  nothiug, 
but  rather  gaining  in  health  and  good  spirits  by  the  recrea¬ 
tion  of  their  visit  on  shore.  The  third  party  also  visited 
the  island,  but  they  stayed  so  long  that  the  fair  wind  did 


384 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


arise,  and  hurrying  back  they  just  reached  the  ship  as 
the  sailors  were  lifting  the  anchor,  and  in  the  haste  and 
confusion  many  lost  their  places,  and  were  not  as  comfort¬ 
able  during  the  balance  of  their  voyage  as  at  the  outset. 
They  were  wiser,  however,  than  the  fourth  party ;  these 
latter  stayed  so  long  upon  the  island  and  tasted  so  deeply 
of  its  pleasures,  that  they  allowed  the  ship’s  bell  of  warn¬ 
ing  to  sound  unheeded.  Said  they,  (<  The  sails  are  still  to 
be  set;  we  may  enjoy  ourselves  a  few  minutes  more.” 
Again  the  bell  sounded,  and  still  they  lingered,  thinking, 
<(  The  captain  will  not  sail  without  us.”  So  they  remained 
on  shore  until  they  saw  the  ship  moving ;  then  in  wild 
haste  they  swam  after  it  and  scrambled  up  the  sides,  but 
the  bruises  and  injuries  which  they  encountered  in  so 
doing  were  not  healed  during  the  remainder  of  the  voy¬ 
age.  But,  alas,  for  the  fifth  party.  They  ate  and  drank 
so  deeply  that  they  did  not  even  hear  the  bell,  and 
when  the  ship  started  they  were  left  behind.  Then  the 
wild  beasts  hid  in  the  thickets  made  of  them  a  prey, 
and  they  who  escaped  this  evil,  perished  from  the  poison 
of  surfeit. 

The  <(  ship  ”  is  our  good  deeds,  which  bear  us  to  our 
destination,  heaven.  The  (<  island  ”  typifies  the  pleasures  of 
the  world,  which  the  first  set  of  passengers  refused  to 
taste  or  look  upon,  but  which  when  enjoyed  temperately, 
as  by  the  second  party,  make  our  lives  pleasant,  without 
causing  us  to  neglect  our  duties.  These  pleasures  must 
not  be  allowed,  however,  to  gain  too  strong  a  hold  upon 
our  senses.  True,  we  may  return,  as  the  third  party,  while 
there  is  yet  time  and  but  little  bad  effect,  or  even  as  the 
fourth  party  at  the  eleventh  hour,  saved,  but  with  bruises 
and  injuries  which  cannot  be  entirely  healed ;  but  we  are 
in  danger  of  becoming  as  the  last  party,  spending  a  life¬ 
time  in  the  pursuit  of  vanity,  forgetting  the  future,  and 
perishing  even  of  the  poison  concealed  in  the  sweets  which 
attracted  us. 

Who  hath  sorrow?  Who  hath  woe? 

He  who  leaves  much  wealth  to  his  heirs,  and  takes  with 
him  to  the  grave  a  burden  of  sins.  He  who  gathers  wealth 
without  justice.  <(  He  that  gathereth  riches  and  not  by 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


3S5 


right  in  the  midst  of  his  days  shall  he  leave  them.”  To 
the  portals  of  eternity  his  gold  and  his  silver  cannot  ac¬ 
company  the  soul  of  man  ;  good  deeds  and  trust  in  God 
must  be  his  directing  spirits. 

Although  God  is  merciful  and  pardons  the  sins  of  man 
against  Himself,  he  who  has  wronged  his  neighbor  must 
gain  that  neighbor’s  forgiveness  before  he  can  claim  the 
mercy  of  the  Lord.  (<This  must  ye  do,”  said  Rabbi 
Eleazer,  <(  that  ye  may  be  clean  from  all  your  sins  before 
the  Lord.  The  Day  of  Atonement  may  gain  pardon  for 
the  sins  of  man  against  his  Maker,  but  not  for  those 
against  his  fellow-man,  till  every  wrong  done  is  satis¬ 
fied.” 

If  a  man  is  called  upon  to  pardon  his  fellow,  freely  he 
must  do  it ;  else  how  can  he  dare,  on  the  Day  of  Atone¬ 
ment,  to  ask  pardon  for  his  sins  against  the  Eternal  ?  It  is 
customary  on  this  day  for  a  man  to  thoroughly  cleanse 
himself  bodily  and  spiritually,  and  to  array  himself  in 
white  fresh  clothing,  to  typify  the  words  of  Isaiah,  <(  Though 
your  sins  should  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  become  white  as 
snow.” 


It  happened  that  the  mayor  of  a  city  once  sent  his  serv¬ 
ant  to  the  market  to  purchase  some  fish.  When  he  reached 
the  place  of  sale  he  found  that  all  the  fish  save  one  had 
been  sold,  and  this  one  a  Jewish  tailor  was  about  purchas¬ 
ing.  Said  the  mayor’s  servant,  <(  I  will  give  one  gold  piece 
for  it  ;  ”  said  the  tailor,  (<  I  will  give  two.”  The  mayor’s 
messenger  then  expressed  his  willingness  to  pay  three  gold 
pieces  for  it,  but  the  tailor  claimed  the  fish,  and  said  he 
would  not  lose  it  though  he  should  be  obliged  to  pay  ten 
gold  pieces  for  it.  The  mayor’s  servant  then  returned 
home,  and  in  anger  related  the  circumstance  to  his  master. 
The  mayor  sent  for  his  subject,  and  when  the  latter  ap¬ 
peared  before  him  asked  :  — 

(<  What  is  thy  occupation  ?  ” 

<(  A  tailor,  sir,”  replied  the  man. 

(<  Then  how  canst  thou  afford  to  pay  so  great  a  price  for 
a  fish,  and  how  dare  degrade  my  dignity  by  offering  for  it 
a  larger  sum  than  that  offered  by  my  servant  ?  ” 

25 


386 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


“  I  fast  to-morrow,  ®  replied  the  tailor,  <(  and  I  wished 
the  fish  to  eat  to-day,  that  I  might  have  strength  to  do  so. 
I  would  not  have  lost  it  even  for  ten  pieces  of  gold.® 

“  What  is  to-morrow  more  than  any  other  day  ?  ®  asked 
the  mayor. 

<(  Why  art  thou  more  than  any  other  man  ?  *  returned 
the  other. 

“  Because  the  king  hath  appointed  me  to  this  office.  * 
“Well,®  replied  the  tailor,  “the  King  of  kings  hath 
appointed  this  day  to  be  holier  than  all  other  days,  for  on 
this  day  we  hope  that  God  will  pardon  our  transgressions.® 
“If  this  be  the  case  thou  wert  right,®  answered  the 
mayor,  and  the  Israelite  departed  in  peace. 

Thus  if  a  person’s  intention  is  to  obey  God,  nothing  can 
hinder  its  accomplishment.  On  this  day  God  commanded 
His  children  to  fast,  but  they  must  strengthen  their  bodies 
to  obey  Him  by  eating  on  the  day  before.  It  is  a  person’s 
duty  to  sanctify  himself,  bodily  and  spiritually,  for  the 
approach  of  this  great  day.  He  should  be  ready  to  enter 

at  any  moment  into  the  Fearful  Presence  with  repentance 
and  good  deeds  as'  his  companions. 

A  certain  man  had  three  friends.  One  of  these  he  loved 
dearly  ;  the  second  he  loved  also,  but  not  as  intensely  as 
the  first ;  but  toward  the  third  one  he  was  quite  indiffer¬ 
ently  disposed. 

Now  the  king  of  the  country  sent  an  officer  to  this  man, 
commanding  his  immediate  appearance  before  the  throne. 
Greatly  terrified  was  the  man  at  this  summons.  He 

thought  that  somebody  had  been  speaking  evil  of  him,  or 
probably  accusing  him  falsely  before  his  sovereign,  and 
being  afraid  to  appear  unaccompanied  before  the  royal 
presence,  he  resolved  to  ask  one  of  his  friends  to  go  with 
him.  First  he  naturally  applied  to  his  dearest  friend,  but 
he  at  once  declined  to  go,  giving  no  reason  and  no  excuse 

for  his  lack  of  friendliness.  So  the  man  applied  to  his 

second  friend,  who  said  to  him  :  — 

“  I  will  go  with  thee  as  far  as  the  palace  gates,  but  I 
will  not  enter  with  thee  before  the  king.® 

In  desperation  the  man  applied  to  his  third  friend,  the  one 
whom  he  had  neglected,  but  who  replied  to  him  at  once  :  — 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


387 


((  Fear  not ;  I  will  go  with  thee,  and  I  will  speak  in  thy 
defense.  I  will  not  leave  thee  until  thou  art  delivered 
from  thy  trouble.  ” 

The  <(  first  friend  ”  is  a  man’s  wealth,  which  he  must 
leave  behind  him  when  he  dies.  The  *  second  friend  ”  is 
typified  by  the  relatives  who  follow  him  to  the  grave  and 
leave  him  when  the  earth  has  covered  his  remains.  The 
<(  third  friend, ”  he  who  entered  with  him  into  the  presence 
of  the  king,  is  as  the  good  deeds  of  a  man’s  life,  which 
never  desert,  but  accompany  him  to  plead  his  cause  before 
the  King  of  kings,  who  regardeth  not  person  nor  taketh 
bribery. 

Thus  taught  Rabbi  Eleazer  :  — 

(<  On  this  great  and  tearful  day  the  angel  Samal  finds 
no  blots,  no  sins  on  Israel.  ”  Thus  he  addresses  the  Most 
High  :  - 

(<  (  O  Sovereign  Lord,  upon  the  earth  this  day  one  nation 
pure  and  innocent  exists.  Even  as  the  angels  is  Israel  on 
this  Atonement  Day.  As  peace  exists  in  heaven,  so  rests 
it  now  upon  this  people,  praying  to  Thy  Holy  Name^ 

<(  God  hears  this  testimony  of  His  angel,  and  pardon’s  all 
His  people’s  sins.” 

But  though  the  Almighty  thus  forgives  our  sins,  we  may 
not  repeat  them  wfith  impunity,  for  <(  to  such  a  one  as 
saith,  *1  will  commit  a  sin  and  repent,*  there  can  be  no 
forgiveness,  no  repentance.” 


Fkast  of  Tabfrnaclhs 

The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  begins  on  the  fifteenth  day  of 
the  seventh  month,  Tishri  (October),  and  during  its  con¬ 
tinuance,  seven  days,  the  Israelites  are  commanded  to  dwell 
in  tabernacles  or  booths.  This  is  designed  to  keep  fresh  in 
their  memory  the  tents  with  formed  their  homes  during 
their  forty  years’  sojourn  in  the  wilderness.  The  symbols 
of  the  festival  are  branches  of  the  palm,  bound  with  sprigs 
of  myrtle  and  willow,  and  a  citron. 

The  Lord  said,  <(  This  is  not  to  be  to  you  a  fast  as*  the 
Day  of  Atonement ;  eat,  drink,  be  merry,  and  sacrifice 


388 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


peace-offerings  thereon. )}  The  Bible  says,  (<  Seven  days 
unto  the  Lord  }) ;  therefore  we  should  in  all  our  merriment 
devote  a  few  serious  thoughts  to  Him. 

The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  is  held  in  the  autumn,  after 
the  fruits  of  the  field  have  been  garnered  in  the  storehouses, 
according  to  the  words  of  the  Bible,  <(  The  Feast  of  Taber¬ 
nacles  shalt  thou  hold  for  thyself  seven  days  when  thou 
hast  gathered  in  the  produce  of  th3"  thesh-floor  and  thy 
wine-press. w 

This  dwelling  in  booths  is  also  to  bring  to  mind  the 
manner  in  which  the  Israelites  lived  for  forty  years  after 
they  left  Egypt.  With  merely  temporary  walls  to  protect 
them  from  summer’s  heat  and  winter’s  cold,  from  wind  and 
storm.  God  was  with  them  through  all  their  generations, 
and  they  were  protected  from  all  evil. 

According  to  the  opinion  of  some  of  the  Rabbis,  the 
Israelites  did  not  really  dwell  in  booths  in  the  wilderness, 
but  were  surrounded  by  clouds  —  by  seven  clouds.  Four 
clouds,  one  at  each  of  the  four  sides ;  a  fifth,  a  shadow,  to 
protect  them  from  the  hot  rays  of  the  sun  ;  the  sixth,  a 
pillar  of  fire  to  give  them  light  by  night  (they  being  able 
to  see  as  clearly  by  night  as  by  day)  ;  and  the  seventh,  to 
precede  their  journeying  and  direct  their  way. 

The  children  of  Isael  departed  from  Egypt  in  Nissan 
(April),  and  obtained  immediate^  these  booths,  which  they 
made  use  of  for  forty  years.  Thus  they  were  in  booths 
during  the  entire  cycle  of  the  year,  and  we  could  as  easily 
commemorate  this  fact  in  the  spring  as  in  the  fall,  in  the 
summer  as  in  the  winter.  Why,  then,  has  God  made 
autumn,  and  neither  spring  nor  summer,  the  season  of  ob¬ 
servance?  Because  if  we  dwelt  in  booths  in  the  summer, 
it  would  be  a  question  whether  we  did  so  in  obedience  to 
God’s  behest  or  for  our  own  gratification ;  for  many  peo¬ 
ple  seek  airy  retreats  during  this  season  ;  but  in  the  fall, 
when  the  trees  lose  their  leaves,  and  the  air  grows  cold 
and  chilling,  and  it  is  the  time  to  fix  our  houses  for  the 
winter,  then  by  inhabiting  these  temporary  residences,  we 
display  our  desire  to  do  as  our  Creator  has  bidden  us. 

The  Feast  of  Tabernacles  is  also  the  Feast  of  Ingather¬ 
ing,  when  we  should  thank  God  for  the  kindness  shown  usP 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


389 


and  the  treasure  with  which  He  has  blessed  us.  When  the 
Eternal  has  provided  man  with  his  sustenance,  in  the  long 
evenings  which  follow  he  should  meditate  and  study  his 
Bible,  and  make  this  indeed  a  (<  feast  to  the  Eord,^  and  not 
entirely  for  personal  gratification. 

The  four  species  belonging  to  the  vegetable  kingdom 
which  we  use  in  this  festival,  are  designed  to  remind  us  of 
the  four  elements  of  nature,  which  work  under  the  direction 
and  approval  of  the  Most  High,  and  without  which  all 
things  would  cease  to  exist.  Therefore  the  Bible  commands 
us  on  this  (<  feast  of  the  Eord,®  to  give  thanks,  and  bring 
before  Him  these  four  species,  each  typifying  one  of  the 
elements. 

<(Ye  shall  take  for  yourselves  the  fruit  of  the  tree  liadar  ® 
(the  citron).  Its  color  is  high  yellow  and  resembles  fire. 
The  second  species  is  the  palm  branch  (Heb.  Lulab ),  The 
palm  is  a  high  tree,  growing  up  straight  in  the  air,  and  its 
fruit  is  sweet  and  delicious  to  the  taste ;  this  then  repre¬ 
sents  the  second  element,  air.  The  third  is  the  bough  of 
the  myrtle,  one  of  the  lowliest  of  trees,  growing  close  to 
the  ground ;  its  nature,  cold  and  dry  as  earth,  fits  it  to 
represent  that  element.  The  fourth  is  (<  the  willow  of  the 
brook, w  which  grows  in  perfection  close  beside  the  water, 
dropping  its  branches  into  the  stream,  and  symbolizing  thus 
the  last  element,  water. 

The  Bible  teaches  us  that  for  each  of  these  four  elements 
we  owe  special  thanks  to  God. 

The  citron  we  hold  in  the  left  hand,  and  the  other  three 
we  grasp  together  in  the  right.  This  we  do  because  the 
citron  contains  in  itself  all  that  the  others  represent.  The 
outside  skin  is  37ellow,  fire ;  the  inside  skin  is  white  and 
damp,  air ;  the  pulp  is  watery,  water ;  and  the  seeds  are 
dry,  earth.  It  is  taken  into  the  left  hand,  because  the 
right  hand  is  strongest,  and  the  citron  is  but  one,  while  the 
other  emblems  are  three. 

These  four  emblems  represent  likewise  the  four  principal 
members  of  the  human  body.  The  citron  is  shaped  some¬ 
what  like  a  heart,  without  which  we  could  not  live,  and 
with  which  man  should  serve  his  fellows  ;  the  palm  branch 
represents  the  spine,  which  is  the  foundation  of  the  human 


39° 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


frame,  in  front  of  which  the  heart  lies ;  this  signifies  that 
we  should  serve  God  with  our  entire  body.  The  branches 
of  the  myrtle  resemble  a  human  eye,  with  which  man  rec¬ 
ognizes  the  deeds  of  his  fellows,  and  with  which  he  may 
obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  law.  The  leaves  of  the  willow 
represent  the  lips,  with  which  man  may  serve  the  Eternal 
and  thank  Him.  The  myrtle  is  mentioned  in  the  Bible  be¬ 
fore  the  willow,  because  we  are  able  to  see  and  know  a 
thing  before  we  can  call  its  name  with  our  lips ;  man 
is  able  to  look  into  the  Bible  before  he  can  study  the 
same.  Therefore,  with  these  four  principal  parts  of  the 
human  frame  should  we  praise  the  Creator,  as  David 
said,  <(  All  my  bones  shall  say,  O  Eord,  who  is  like  unto 
Thee  ?  » 

Maimonides,  in  his  work  called  Moreli  Nebuchim  (<(The 
Guide  of  the  Perplexed  }> ) ,  explains  that  God  commanded 
the  Israelites  to  take  these  four  emblems  during  this  festi¬ 
val  to  remind  them  that  they  were  brought  out  from  the 
wilderness,  where  no  fruit  grew,  and  no  people  lived,  into 
a  land  of  brooklets,  waters,  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey.  For  this  reason  did  God  command  us  to  hold  in 
our  hands  the  precious  fruit  of  this  land  while  singing 
praises  to  Him,  the  One  who  wrought  miracles  in  our  be¬ 
half,  who  feeds  and  supports  us  from  the  productiveness 
of  the  earth. 

The  four  emblems  are  different  in  taste,  appearance,  and 
odor,  even  as  the  sons  of  men  are  different  in  conduct  and 
habits. 

The  citron  is  a  valuable  fruit ;  it  is  good  for  food  and 
has  a  most  pleasant  odor.  It  is  compared  to  the  intelligent 
man,  who  is  righteous  in  his  conduct  toward  God  and  his 
fellow-man.  The  odor  of  the  fruit  is  his  good  deeds ;  its 
substance  is  his  learning,  on  which  others  may  feed. 
This  is  perfect  among  the  emblems,  and  is,  therefore, 
always  mentioned  first,  and  taken  by  itself  in  one 
hand. 

The  palm  branch  brings  forth  fruit,  but  is  without  odor. 
It  is  compared  to  those  people  who  are  learned,  but  who 
are  wanting  in  good  deeds  ;  they  who  know  the  law,  but 
transgress  its  mandates. 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


39 1 


The  myrtle  is  compared  to  those  people  who  are  naturally 
good,  who  act  correctly  towTard  God  and  man,  but  who  are 
uneducated. 

The  willow  of  the  brook  has  neither  fruit  nor  odor ;  it 
is,  therefore,  compared  to  the  people  who  have  no  knowl¬ 
edge  and  who  perform  no  good  deeds. 

The  Rabbis  have  said  that  he  who  has  failed  to  partici¬ 
pate  in  the  keeping  of  the  Tabernacle  Festival  in  Jerusalem 
has  failed  to  taste  real  enjoyment  in  his  life.  The  first  day 
of  the  feast  was  kept  with  great  solemnity,  and  the  middle 
days  with  joy  and  gladness  in  various  methods  of  public 
amusement. 

The  Temple  in  Jerusalem  was  provided  with  a  gallery 
for  the  women,  which  was  called  the  apartment  of  the 
women,  and  the  men  sat  below,  as  is  still  the  custom  of 
the  synagogue.  Thither  all  repaired.  The  young  priests 
filled  the  lamps  of  the  large  chandeliers  with  oil,  and 
lighted  them  all,  even  that  the  place  was  so  bright  that  its 
reflection  lighted  the  streets  of  the  city.  Hymns  and 
praises  were  chanted  by  the  pious  ones,  and  the  Levites 
praised  the  Lord  with  harps,  cornets,  trumpets,  flutes,  and 
other  instruments  of  harmony.  They  stood  upon  fifteen 
broad  steps,  reaching  from  the  lowrer  floor  to  the  gallery, 
the  court  of  the  women.  And  they  sang  fifteen  psalms  as 
they  ascended,  beginning  with  <(  A  song  of  Degrees,  ”  and 
the  large  choir  joined  voices  with  them.  The  ancient 
Hillel  was  accustomed  to  address  the  assemblages  on  these 
occasions. 

If  God’s  presence  dwells  here,”  he  was  used  to  say, 
<(  then  are  ye  here,  each  one  of  you,  the  souls  of  each ; 
but  if  God  should  be  removed  from  your  midst  through 
disobedience  then  which  of  you  could  be  here  ?  ”  For  the 
Lord  has  said,  (<  If  thou  wilt  come  to  My  house,  then 
will  I  come  to  thy  house,  but  if  thou  refusest  to  visit 
My  dwelling,  I  will  also  neglect  to  enter  yours ;  ”  as  it  is 
written,  In  every  place  where  I  shall  permit  My  name  to 
be  mentioned  I  will  come  unto  thee  and  I  will  bless  thee.” 

Then  some  of  the  people  answered  :  — 

(<  Happy  were  the  days  of  our  youth,  for  they  have  not  set 
to  blush  the  days  of  our  old  age.”  These  were  men  of  piety. 


392 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


Others  answered  :  — 

<(  Happy  is  our  old  age,  for  therein  have  we  atoned  for 
the  sins  of  our  youth. These  were  repentants. 

Then  joining  together,  both  parties  said:  — 

(<  Happy  is  the  one  who  is  free  from  sin ;  but  ye  who 
have  sinned,  repent,  return  to  God,  and  ye  will  be  forgiven.  ® 
The  festival  was  continued  during  the  entire  night ;  for 
when  the  religious  exercises  concluded  the  people  gave 
themselves  up  to  innocent  but  thorough  enjoyment. 

This  festival  was  also  called  the  <(  Festival  of  Drawing 
Water.” 

Because,  during  the  existence  of  the  Temple,  wine  was 
offered  during  the  year  for  a  burnt-offering,  but  on  the 
Feast  of  Tabernacles  they  offered  two  drink-offerings,  one 
of  wine  and  one  of  water.  Of  the  other  they  made  a 
special  festival  on  the  second  day  of  the  Tabernacle  assem¬ 
blage,  calling  it  the  Feast  of  Drawing  the  Water.  It  was 
founded  upon  the  words  of  the  prophet  :  — 

<(  And  ye  shall  draw7  wrater  with  joy  from  the  fountains 
of  salvation.  ” 


Hannukah 

This  festival  is  observed  for  eight  days  during  the  ninth 
month  Kislev  (December),  and  commemorates  the  dedica¬ 
tion  of  the  Temple  after  it  had  been  defiled  by  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  whose  armies  w7ere  overthrown  by  the  valiant 
Maccabees,  Hashmoneans. 

The  Most  Holy  One  has  frequently  wrought  wonders  in 
behalf  of  his  children  in  their  hour  of  need,  and  thereby 
displayed  His  supreme  power  to  the  nations  of  the  world. 
These  should  prevent  man  from  growing  infidel  and  ascrib¬ 
ing  all  happiness  to  the  course  of  nature.  The  God  who 
created  the  world  from  naught,  may  change  at  His  will 
the  nature  which  He  established.  When  the  Hashmoneans 
gained,  with  the  aid  of  God,  their  great  victory,  and 
restored  peace  and  harmony  to  their  land,  their  first  act 
was  to  cleanse  and  dedicate  the  Temple,  which  had  been 
defiled,  and  on  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  Kislev ,  in  obedience 
to  the  teachings  of  the  Rabbis,  we  inaugurate  the  <(  Dedi- 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


393 


cation  Feast ”  by  lighting  the  lamps  or  candles  prepared 
expressly  for  this  occasion.  The  first  night  we  light  one, 
and  then  an  additional  one  each  succeeding  night  of  its 
continuance.  We  also  celebrate  it  by  hymns  of  thanksgiv¬ 
ing  and  hallelujahs. 

This  feast  is  foreshadowed  in  the  Book  of  Numbers. 
When  Aaron  observed  the  offerings  of  the  princes  of  each 
of  the  tribes  and  their  great  liberality,  he  was  conscious  of 
a  feeling  of  regret,  because  he  and  his  tribe  were  unable  to 
join  with  them.  But  these  words  were  spoken  to  comfort 
him,  <(  Aaron,  thy  merit  is  greater  than  theirs,  for  thou 
lightest  and  fixest  the  holy  lamps.” 

When  were  these  words  spoken  ? 

When  he  was  charged  w7ith  the  blessing  to  be  found  in 
Numbers  6  :  23,  as  will  be  found  in  the  Book  of  Maccabees 
in  the  Apocrypha. 

The  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  <(  Thus  say  unto  Aaron.  In 
the  generations  to  come,  there  will  be  another  dedication 
and  lighting  of  the  lamps,  and  through  thy  descendants 
shall  the  service  be  performed.  Miracles  and  wonders  will 
accompany  this  dedication.  Fear  not  for  the  greatness  of 
the  princes  of  thy  tribe  ;  during  the  existence  of  the  Tem¬ 
ple  thou  shalt  sacrifice,  but  the  lighting  of  the  lamps  shall 
be  forever,  and  the  blessing  with  which  I  have  charged 
thee  to  bless  the  people  shall  also  exist  forever.  Through 
the  destruction  of  the  Temple  the  sacrifices  will  be  abolished, 
but  the  lighting  of  the  dedication  of  the  Hashmoneans  will 
never  cease.” 

The  Rabbis  have  ordained  this  celebration  by  lighting  of 
lamps,  to  make  God’s  miracle  known  to  all  coming  genera¬ 
tions,  and  it  is  our  duty  to  light  the  same  in  the  syna- 
gogues  and  in  our  homes. 

Although  the  Lord  afflicted  Israel  on  account  of  iniqui¬ 
ties,  He  still  showed  mercy,  and  allowed  not  a  complete 
destruction,  and  to  this  festival  do  the  Rabbis  again  apply 
the  verse  in  Leviticus  26  :  44  :  — 

(<  And  yet  for  all  that,  though  they  be  in  the  land  of 
their  enemies,  will  I  not  cast  them  away,  neither  will  I 
loathe  them  to  destroy  them  utterly,  to  break  my  covenant 
with  them,  for  I  am  the  Lord  their  God.” 


394 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


And  thus  do  the  Rabbis  explain  the  same  : 

(<  Will  I  not  cast  them  away.®  In  the  time  of  the  Chal¬ 
deans  I  appointed  Daniel  and  his  companions  to  deliver 
them. 

((  Neither  will  I  loathe  them.”  In  the  time  of  the  Assyr¬ 
ians  I  gave  them  Matthias,  his  sons  and  their  comrades,  to 
serve  them. 

(<  To  destroy  them.”  In  the  time  of  Haman  I  sent  Mor- 
decai  and  Esther  to  rescue  them. 

(<  To  break  my  covenant  with  them.”  In  the  time  of  the 
Romans  I  appointed  Rabbi  Judah  and  his  associates  to  work 
their  salvation. 

(<  For  I  am  the  Eternal,  your  God.”  In  the  future  no 
nation  shall  rule  over  Israel,  and  the  descendants  of  Abraham 
shall  be  restored  to  their  independent  state. 

The  dedication  commemorated  by  Hannukah  occurred  in 
the  year  3632  —  129  b.  c.  e. 


Purim 

This  festival,  occurring  on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the 
twelfth  month,  Adar  (March),  is  to  commemorate  the  deliv¬ 
erance  of  the  Hebrews  from  the  wiles  of  Haman,  through 
the  God-aided  means  of  Mordecai  and  Esther. 

Although  the  Holy  One  threatens  the  Israelites,  in  order 
that  they  may  repent  of  their  sins,  He  has  also  tempted 
them,  in  order  to  increase  their  reward. 

For  instance,  a  father  who  loves  his  son,  and  desires  him 
to  improve  his  conduct,  must  punish  him  for  his  misdeeds  ; 
but  it  is  a  punishment  induced  by  affection  which  he  be¬ 
stows. 

A  certain  apostate  once  said  to  Rabbi  Saphra :  — 

(<  It  is  written,  ( Because  I  know  y^ou  more  than  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  therefore  I  visit  upon  you  your  iniqui¬ 
ties  ;  }  how  is  this  ?  If  a  person  has  a  wild  horse,  is  it 
likely  that  he  would  put  his  dearest  friend  upon  it,  that 
he  might  be  thrown  and  hurt  ?  ” 

Rabbi  Saphra  answered  :  — 

(<  Suppose  a  man  lends  money  to  two  persons ;  one  of 
these  is  his  friend,  the  other  his  enemy.  He  wTill  allow  his 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS 


395 


friend  to  repay  him  in  installments,  that  the  discharge  of 
the  debt  may  not  prove  onerous  ;  but  from  his  enemy  he 
will  require  the  amount  in  full.  The  verse  you  quote  will 
apply  in  the  same  manner,  ( I  love  you,  therefore  will  I 
visit  upon  you  your  iniquities ;  *  meaning,  ( I  will  punish 
you  for  them  as  they  occur,  little  by  little,  by  which  means 
you  may  have  quittance  and  happiness  in  the  world  to 
come. y  w 

The  action  of  the  king  in  delivering  his  signet  ring  to 
Haman  had  more  effect  upon  the  Jews  than  the  precepts 
and  warnings  of  forty-eight  prophets  who  lectured  to  them 
early  and  late.  They  clothed  themselves  in  sackcloth,  and 
repented  truly  wTith  tears  and  fasting,  and  God  had  com¬ 
passion  upon  them  and  destroyed  Haman. 

Although  the  reading  of  the  Book  of  Esther  ( Megilah )  on 
Purim  is  not  a  precept  of  the  Pentateuch,  ’tis  nevertheless 
binding  upon  us  and  our  descendants.  Therefore  the  day 
is  appointed  as  one  of  feasting  and  gladness,  and  interchange 
of  presents,  and  also  of  gifts  to  the  poor,  that  they  too  may 
rejoice.  As  in  the  decree  of  Haman,  no  distinction  was 
made  between  rich  and  poor,  as  all  alike  were  doomed  to 
destruction,  it  is  proper  that  all  should  have  equal  cause  to 
feel  joyful,  and  therefore  in  all  generations  the  poor  should 
be  liberally  remembered  on  this  day. 


OF  ILUNOI9-URBANA 


UNIVERSITY 


^  nil 2  041 91 8043 


